Whispers of Penance
by BornUndead
Summary: The wind blows through the wrecks of tanks and bites at the dead as a solitary figure kneels in the middle of a blood soaked battle field. This is her story.
1. Chapter 1

Alright you know the order of things: I don't own any of this, I'm not making any money off of this, and I have entirely too much free time. With our disclaimer out of the way lets get to the story.

**The Whisper's of Penance**

**Chapter 1- ****Vox vocis of Cado**

A dead man stares into a sky heavy with smoky grey clouds. The glazed look of death holds in his light brown eyes that are forever stilled in terror. His hair is wet and strands are stiff with mud and grime. His flak armor fits his muscular chest perfectly. The armor has a silver double headed Imperial Aquila on the left breast. The armor had not saved his life. The man's chest and stomach are torn open. His blood runs into the mud of the battle field, soaking and mixing with the torn earth. His hair blows slightly as a mournful wind drifts across the battlefield.

Around the dead man more fallen lay, their corpses scattered and bloody. The wind picked up speed and drifted through the shattered and blackened husks of once mighty tanks. Some where a man coughed and again the wind blew through the battle field. The breeze coursed through the corpse littered no-man's-land and found the Imperial frontline.

Guardsmen in flak jackets huddled around heat generators as sentries stared out into the shattered hell that was no-man's-land. The wind carried past the Guardsmen and found more of the numb soldiers. It drifted through the fatigues and breathed upon the flesh of eight thousand men. The wind changed course and blew north and passed by thousands more, the battle front was manned well. It gusted through the tracks of dozens of Leman Russ battle tanks and coursed over a massive Shadowsword Battle Tank. The wind nipped at engineers working on the terrifying tank and caused the men to shiver and mutter about the weather.

But the wind was not satisfied with the massive vehicle and onward it blew. Past commanders studying dataslates and planning the latest offensive. It continued past even more soldiers and priests giving daily sermons for the Emperor's blessing. It continued until it came upon a hill where an Imperial flag stood proudly declaring the surrounding land its territory.

The wind stirred the flag and it flapped gently. More corpses surrounded the hill, the mark of chaos on each. Men with ritualized scars lay bleeding into the dirt, their once strong hands grasping brutal axes and swords, lasguns lay in their cold dead hands. The wind flowed gently over a lone figure that kneeled in front of the flag with their head against an intricately crafted bolter.

Jet black baroque power armor was fitted perfectly to kneeling warrior. The arched feminine armored boots came above the knee with bladed knee guards, the right bearing a fleur-de-lis and the left the visage of a skull. The shoulder guards were peaked slightly and were adorned with the fleur-de-lis on the left guard and the Imperial Aquila on the right, the right guard having a higher rise to shield the soldier's neck. The breast plate was baroque like the rest of the armor with a raised errant neck guard with the visage of a gothic skull over the protruding armored bosom. Deep red robes that had the edges of the worked with silver thread work and the Imperial Aquila combined with the fleur-de-lis intertwined within the pattern, the thick robes hung from the shoulder guards and came out from beneath the chest plate to hang from the warrior's waist. A blade was on the woman's hip within its scabbard, its grip was braided with heavy leather and the skull that served as the pommel was worn. Grenades, a bolt pistol, and ammunition holsters hung on a hardy leather belt.

"...let His light shine on me. In the Emperor's name."

The woman ended her personal sermon and looked up at the battle field as the wind stirred the white hair that came to her throat gently. Her piercing blue eyes stared at the fallen Heretics coldly. If the woman felt any compassion for the dead her beautifully pale face did not show it.

Battle Sister Aurea Istallo stood from her prayer as the wind played with her robe and her eyes drifted over the slain to a fallen Sister. The woman still had her helmet on but her torso was riddled with bloody holes. Aurea commended her fallen comrade's soul to the Emperor silently. She had warned Sister Geena to use all the cover she could, she had warned her that the heretics were not terrible shots. The newer Battle Sister had clearly not listened. A slight feeling of guilt over the younger Sister's death tried to break into her thoughts. Sister Aurea shoved them away. _It was not my fault that she did not listen to me._ She mentally whispered to herself. Despite her words she continued to study the dead woman who lay in the blood soaked mud.

The sounds of a mechanical door opening behind her forced Aurea to break her study of the fallen Sister. With a tired sigh she turned around while pulling the strap of her bolter over her head so that it hung comfortably across her chest. Her squad's Rhino armored carrier was parked in the safety of the large building they had taken as their head quarters during the attack. The rear door had opened and a coffee haired Sister stepped out as three other heavily armored Sisters walked tiredly to the open hatch. The departing woman nodded to them and turned on her heel and approached Aurea.

"Sister Aurea." The woman said in a friendly voice that was used to commanding.

"Sister Superior Joan." Aurea acknowledged tiredly. Despite her prayers it seemed the Emperor was not going to remove her fatigue.

Joan approached Aurea while stepping casually over the shattered bodies of chaos cultists with out so much as a glance. She saw the fallen Geena and shook her light brown haired head regretfully. She turned to Aurea her eyes already forgetting the dead Sister.

"May the Emperor welcome her soul." Aurea nodded in agreement. Joan looked over the dead cultists with hardly hidden animosity. "Heretic scum. You did well Aurea. Our relief arrived several minutes ago. We have done our duty Sister. It is time for us to return to head quarters."

Aurea nodded and left the corpse in the mud, there was no time to bury the dead and the Promethium in the flamers was to valuable to waste on someone already dead. The two Battle Sisters walked back towards the Rhino in silence born out of fatigue. The heretics had assaulted the hill two nights before where the Sisters of Battle had been stationed. For two nights Aurea had slaughtered the traitors. The squad had suffered four losses, Sister Geena being the most recent. This was relatively well off in Aurea's opinion seeing as they had slaughtered over two hundred of the heretics. Now Sister Geena was dead, a spark of guilt blossomed in her breast but Aurea quickly stamped it out. _It was not my fault._ She told her self once more.

When they reached the Rhino Aurea saw several platoons of Imperial Guardsmen advancing forward through the shattered street the came through the rear of the hill, a street that held two more of her fallen Sisters. They were all fresh, yet none had the look of wanting to be there. Stern eyed Commisars kept them moving forward regardless of what cowardly feelings they may have harbored.

A commanding officer approached Joan. Her thoughts still on her fallen Sisters and the fresh reserves Aurea mounted the back entry to the tank with out a word. Mentally she thanked the Emperor that she was not staying at the position for another day. Another attack was inevitable, they had hardly held their position and they all knew that handfuls of the heretic scum had escaped past their guns. Three other members of the squad, Lea, Dianna, and Kierra, sat within the confines of the Rhino, Kierra leaning against the wall in a fretful slumber. Lea smiled at Aurea upon her entrance, the scar that came from her temple to her jaw twisting, as she cleaned her meltagun.

"Good to see you still breathing Aurea!" She greeted in a cheerful voice.

Aurea grunted tiredly. "I wish I could say the same for Sister Geena."

Dianna was checking her heavy bolter's firing mechanism carefully, cleaning the great weapon of any filth. The sharp nosed raven haired woman did not look up when she spoke. "Has the Emperor taken her into his heaven?"

Aurea leaned back, grateful for the wall to lean against after days of running around in battle. "Yes."

Lea shook her light blond haired head but did not stop smiling and Kierra let out a small whimper as she slept. Kierra's caramel colored face would have been beautiful, stunning in fact, had it not been for a large burn on the side of her face that twisted down her cheek and neck marring the gorgeous flesh. She whimpered again and her storm grey eyes opening suddenly in alarm and fear, but almost immediately they grew calm with the sight of her Sisters around her. Not even prayers protected you from the nightmares that a lifetime of war gave a soldier.

"Did she listen to you?" Lea asked.

Aurea dearly wanted to sleep but she responded anyway. "For several hours she did."

Lea shook her head again. "May the Emperor guide her soul."

Suddenly Sister Superior Joan entered the tank her eyes sharp. How the beautiful woman did not give into fatigue was beyond Aurea. Joan smiled as she entered the tank and proceeded to the cockpit.

"On to hot showers, soft beds, and a full meal!" She said heartily.

Kierra yawned. "I certainly hope we get the soft bed."

Joan let out a small chuckle. "Emperor willing Sister Kierra."

With that Joan entered the cockpit and moments later the tank let out a mechanical roar and started up. Aurea leaned against the wall and let herself give into the fatigue that plagued her. A slight feeling of guilt grew in her gut as she realized that Sister Geena would never again have a hot meal or a soft bed. The hum and vibrations of the tank caused her eyes to slowly flutter shut and all she could see was Geena's bullet riddled corpse laying in the mud as they drove away.

-

Mist swirled around her armored feet. Aurea did not know where she was. She could not see anything but the heavy mist. Its cold caress touched her cheeks and she took a step forward. All sound was muffled and each step she took echoed foggily. She surmised that the ground was flat; her armored boots had not caught on any rough areas of the ground.

Aurea continued to stride, it seemed like hours. Still nothing changed. It was the same clinging fog no matter what direction she walked. It was not long before her temper and impatience got the better of her.

"Damn this Emperor-cursed mist!" She growled to no one. Her voice seemed almost heretical in the clouded silence she traversed within. Regardless she continued her trek.

"Why did you let me die?"

Aurea spun around at the voice. Sister Geena stood behind her. The Sister's chest soaked in blood and her armor mangled. She was still within her helmet. Aurea felt her jaw drop and she yanked out her bolt pistol.

The armored Geena looked at her with a slight tilt of her armored head. "Why did you let me die?" She asked again.

Aurea stared at her. It was not possible… Geena was rotting in the mud. Her mind raced over prayers of protection and she did not lower her weapon. Geena walked towards her.

"Don't move!" Aurea growled.

Geena stopped and with an oddly sorrowful tilt of her helmet she examined the blood glistening on her black power armor. Her armored fingers examined the liquid curiously. She looked back at Aurea, her hand still raised.

"Why did you let me die?"

Aurea narrowed her eyes. "Your soul belongs to the Emperor. Why are you in my dreams?"

The armored woman shrugged; the casual movement that gave pause to Aurea once more. "I have always been loyal to the Emperor. My soul and my life are his."

"You are _dead_." Aurea hissed. She could not accept the heretical vision, to do so would condemn the very teachings she had studied for so long.

The other woman looked at her own blood again. "Perhaps the belief in a single god, or any number of gods for that matter was not enough to save my soul. Or perhaps it was foolish to be so devoted to a single belief."

Aurea's fingers tightened on the bolt pistol she pointed at the heretical words. "Those are the words of a traitor."

Geena shrugged once more. "I died with His name on my lips and I am talking to you aren't I? Is it so traitorous to question a god after my soul was not taken to His heaven?" She sighed audibly. "You left my corpse in the mud didn't you?"

Aurea glared at the armored woman. "This is a dream."

Geena nodded. "Yes it is." She motioned with her gauntleted arm and the mist shifted to reveal the bloody hill and Geena's shattered corpse laying in the gory mud. "Why did you let me die?"

Aurea lowered the pistol as the same guilty feelings she had felt before falling asleep come to her. She doubted the weapon would have killed Geena, she _was _already dead. "I did not _let_ you die Sister Geena. _You_ got yourself killed. I _tried_ to warn you of the enemy's skill."

Geena stared at her, or at least Aurea thought so. The woman in the helmet shook her head. "You were my commander, under order of Sister Superior Joan. My death is as much your fault as it is mine." Her blood gleamed dully on her black power armor. "Did the Emperor protect me when I prayed to him?" She pointed at the image of her corpse. "Does he care that my life as cut short, Sister?" The corpse soaked the earth with precious droplets of ruby blood; the Imperial Aaquila was soaked in the dead woman's blood. "Do you believe He will protect you any more than He did me?"

Aurea was done with the conversation; no one questioned the Emperor's word. Her pistol rose once more, she was going to silence the heretical Geena. "You are breaking the oaths you made to the Emperor _and_ the human race, Geena. I will help speed your soul's travel to Him whether you wish it or not." She dearly wanted to pull the trigger, yet Geena's words rang in her head. Was she just as guilty in Geena's death?

The other woman was unreadable behind her helmet as she gazed at Aurea. "I will be with you till you die Sister Aurea." Her armored arms hung at her bloody sides. "I will be a reminder to you of the life you have led every time you close your eyes, Sister Aurea. I believe this is my penance, for what transgression I do not know."

_What?_ Aurea arched a single white eyebrow. "What are you talking about heretic?"

"I am not a heretic. I was merely examining my life's ambitions and the faith I held in the Emperor." She motioned to the visage of her corpse. "I am already dead so I will not die if you shoot me." The mist swirled around the woman. "I believe I may have become your conscience."

Aurea snorted. "This is a dream. You will not be sitting next to me when I awaken."

Geena nodded. "This is true, you _did_ leave my body in the mud." Again the guilt gripped Aurea. "But I will be here in your mind and your dreams to confer and confide with." She motioned with her armored hand. "Please put away the pistol Sister. I will not anger you further."

Aurea had not stopped staring at the other woman for minutes and blinked at her honest words. _Is this real?_ She wondered. She re-holstered her pistol and walked towards Geena. She _had_ to know if this was real. Aurea had to know if the guilt she felt was justified. The other woman stood still as Aurea touched her armored shoulder and did not twitch as she ran her other hand over the woman's bloody torso.

"Emperor protect me…" Aurea whispered as she looked at the blood glistening on the tips of her armored fingers. Geena was not a hallucination. She felt her neck suddenly seize up as the small murmurs of guilt within her began to scream.

"We did not have time to bury you, Sister Geena." Her voice was hoarse and quiet. "We could not waste the fuel to burn your body. Emperor save me…"

Geena was motionless at her words. "If you will talk to me each day Sister, we shall both clean our souls."

Aurea looked at the blood on her gloves and nodded stiffly. Prayers echoed in her mind and she felt her self shudder. She did not have a choice it seemed. And even if she could have denied the offer she would not have. The guilt now grasped at her fiercely and she would speak to Sister Geena again.

As if sensing Aurea's thought's Geena had remained silent and motionless. She suddenly took a step forward and a single hand laid reassuringly on Aurea's arm. "It is time for you to wake up Sister." Geena said gently. "I will be here no matter what happens."

The mist rose and the last thing Aurea saw was the swirling eddies of fog as it covered her. The last feeling she noticed was the wetness of tears on her cheeks.

-

The rumble of the tank awoke her, her eyes snapping open. She saw Dianna still cleaning her heavy bolter. Lea and Kierra both lay against the wall in sleep. Dianna did not look up from her cleaning as her body swayed with the vehicle's motions.

"You had a nightmare, Sister."

Aurea shivered within her armor as she remembered the dream in extreme detail. She nodded stiffly. "Yes, it was."

Dianna looked up then, her dark eyes searching. "You continued to utter Sister Geena's name in your sleep."

_Why did you let me die?_ She shivered once more and nodded again. "How far away are we from Head Quarters?"

Dianna had gone back to cleaning. "I do not know."

Once more Aurea leaned back. Dianna had never been the greatest conversationalist. She lost her self in the rumble of the tank and her thoughts focused on the dream. The guilt still screamed at her, yet this was not what bothered Sister Aurea. What did bother her was that there was a dead woman who spoke in her head. She was used to the night terrors and waking up screaming from nightmares, every Sister did. But the fact that she had a full conversation with Geena was new. She murmured a prayer and let her eyes close once more.

She was nervous to sleep. What if she was taken back to the mist filled dream and had to speak with Geena once more? She did not know if her tired mind could take another such meeting. So she tried to stay awake. She silently repeated sermons, but her eyes quickly began to drift shut once more.

She fought the tiredness but it was inevitable. The lull of the tank's hum and the light sound of Dianna cleaning only furthered her drowsiness. Her eyes shut and her body relaxed suddenly. _I will be here no matter what happens._ Geena's voice whispered and a dark slumber took Sister Aurea.

Outside of the Rhino the wind blew smoke from farther down the front to the cratered road in no-man's-land. The Rhino did not care for the wind as its tracks marked the muddy road with its traveling. Perhaps it was the tired Battle Sisters within the tank who did not spot the mines that lay in front of the tank; or perhaps the mines were cleverly hidden. But when the front track clipped one of the explosives all within that were not sleeping within the Rhino knew what they had hit.

The mine gave off a loud whine and suddenly the Rhino flipped as the activation mechanism clicked and with a massive burst of flame, mud, and grime the mine sent the tank flipping side over side. Dirt and debris and large divots of earth flew with each impact. Out of a stroke of sheer luck the Rhino careened into a large artillery crater and plowed into the loose mud of the wall, completely submerging the front of the tank at an angle in the earth.

Sister Aurea was hanging in her seat harness limply. One moment she had been asleep with no nightmares or haunting dreams; the next thing she knew she was being thrown around violently and it was the harness that had kept her from being smashed around the insides of the tank like a rag doll.

With a painful jerk she unbuckled the harness and slid onto the slanted floor of the tank. Sister Lea was pinned by a large ammunition box with a tooth bared grimace. The platinum blond haired woman reached weakly for Aurea, her breaths short.

"Help me… help, Sister…"

Aurea moved to her and felt dozens of bruises forming beneath her armor. A groan came from her right and she found Dianna moving over to help as well. The dark haired woman had a sheen of sweat on her face and one of her arms hung limply at her side. Together they yanked the box off of Lea. Lea's armor was heavily dented and scarred but she smiled weakly at their stares of amazement.

"The Emperor does not wish my death quite yet it seems."

Aurea let out a dark chuckle. Lea should have been crushed to death. How the woman was still breathing, much less her humor, was in itself a miracle. They found Kierra unconscious with blood dribbling down her forehead.

The gently untangled the woman and laid her down. She was hurt, but would most likely survive. Lea and Dianna went to the cockpit to see if anyone was alive. Aurea grabbed her bolter and forced open the rear hatch. _What in the Emperor's name did we hit?_ She wondered as she stepped out into the smoky atmosphere outside the ruined tank.

She saw the trench of shattered earth where the Rhino and crashed and skidded and embedded in the earth. She did not know how any of them had survived. It was clearly a mine's work. They should have been incinerated or the tank crushed. It spoke volumes for the hardiness of the vehicle though.

Dianna and Lea exited the Rhino with Kierra with them. Sister Superior Joan followed, her usually beautiful face bloodied from glass cuts. They all saw the damage and as one each Sister thanked the Emperor for his mercy. Joan dropped an ammunition box on the ground with a heavy thud.

"Load up on ammunition."

Lea spat. "Sister Superior we don't even know where we are."

Joan looked at her irritably. "We _should_ have been in head quarters right now." She growled as she picked up a bolt pistol clip and loaded her weapon. "The Heretics who escaped us must have laid the mines. We need to find a radio and reach Command. I want to know why the front is not where it should have been."

They revived Kierra, who immediately retrieved her bolter with an angry vengeful growl. She clearly did not appreciate the tactics or results of the Traitor's mines. She exited the ruined Rhino with the spare water and rations that were not destroyed in the crash.

Aurea restocked her ammunition and checked her blade and pistol. She had all her gear and was prepared. None mentioned the final and second driver, Sister who had been in the cockpit. Aurea assumed she was dead but did not dwell on the subject, she already had one dead woman in her head. She turned to Dianna struggling with her heavy bolter as Lea numbly began checking her meltagun and retrieved extra ammunition.

Aurea helped Dianna and motioned to her arm. "What is wrong with it? Do we need to make a brace Sister?"

Dianna grimaced in pain. "I believe it is disconnected."

Joan checked her pistol once more and in a clear and sharp voice spoke to her squad. "We need to move out. There is a small settlement that held an Imperial Guard command close to here." She looked around her voice still sharp. "I don't need to tell you what we will do if we find the Heretics who planted those mines."

Aurea turned to Dianna and gently took the woman's arm. "This going to be painful Sister, be strong." Dianna let out a small moan as Aurea gripped it suddenly. With a savage jerk and twist the arm popped back into the socket with a sickening pop. Dianna let out a scream and leaned heavily into Aurea. With out hesitating Aurea hugged the other woman and stroked her hair as she stared into the waste that was no-man's-land. "Try to move your arm, we must leave."

Dianna stood back shaking and nodded as her arm rotated painfully. She turned to Aurea. "Thank you Sister…"

Aurea smiled tiredly and brought her bolter's strap over her shoulder and turned back to Joan. "Sister Superior we are all ready."

Joan nodded gravely and motioned to her squad. "Very good, Sister Aurea. Squad forward!"

The remainder of the squad spread out into a thin line and proceeded forward. Lea begun to whisper a prayer to herself and Kierra almost seemed to be glaring at the land, her eyes searching for a heretic to vent her anger upon. When they found the road they could see through the burnt stumps of trees and ruined remains of vehicles a bullet riddled sign several hundred yards off.

The sounds of their armored feet on the grit covered road was the only sound aside from the slight moaning of the wind. They passed dozens of bodies obscured by mud or were too burned to decipher whether they were Imperial or otherwise. Lea was the first to speak.

"What in the Emperor's name happened?"

Joan did not stop her pace. "The Imperial Guard Captain had mentioned an attack. But I did not believe it could have gotten this far… Sisters! Stay alert. If any of the scum are here then we don't need an ambush."

They continued their steady march as the smoke dissipated for a moment and the day's fading light began to cast shadows on the war torn land. Sunrays shone to ruined earth through the teeth of barbwire. Head quarters was gone. All that remained were the dead. Sure enough when the sun finally revealed some of the dead the Sisters could see both heretics and loyal Guardsmen laying in the sodden earth.

They finally reached the sign after having to work their way through the maze of craters that had torn apart the road itself. They had found several vox-casters but none worked. The even scanned for wounded as they walked. But all the corpses were several days old.

Aurea glanced at the corpses but did not stare long. It certainly was not the dead men before her now that she saw. Instead she saw Sister Geena standing over the fallen staring at the dead through the black eyes of her helmet. She was still as bloody and torn up as before. Aurea began to wonder if she was going mad.

"Halt!"

Aurea snapped her bolter to the sound of the voice and crouched behind the blackened husk of a Leman Russ battle tank. Dianna following her slid unceremoniously into a small crater next to Aurea and aimed her weapon. Kierra, Lea, and Joan dodged behind a large mound of dirt and bodies.

"Are you a traitor or a loyalist?" Joan yelled.

There was a pause. "Come out with your hands up and your weapons at your sides and you'll find out."

Dianna muttered a curse at the mud staining her armor and gun. Aurea waited with out a sound. If it was the minions of Chaos they would die fighting, if they were loyalists perhaps they could find out just what happened to the front line.

Joan appeared to be thinking it over. "We are Sisters of Battle, faithful servants and daughters to the Emperor of Humankind."

"Meet us at the sign!"

Joan nodded and the squad followed her. She murmured to them as they walked cautiously down the street. "Keep your fingers on the triggers Sisters."

They found ten Guardsmen waiting for them below the sign. They all wore flak armor over their dark grey fatigues and grasped lasguns in dirt stained hands, none looked as if they had any sleep in the past two days as well.

Their Sergeant stepped forward and saluted Sister Joan. "Ma'am."

She returned the salute with a cold nod. "Sergeant, can you not tell the difference between the traitors and the Sisters of Battle?"

He coughed embarrassedly. "It's been an odd day…"

Joan stared at the man with her most piercing gaze. Had Aurea received such a look that would have gifted hours, if not days, of penance work for her. "My squad is exhausted Captain. We need some where to rest, what happened to the front."

The Sergeant motioned to Joan. "We are heading back to base for the night as it is, just come with us. You'll be safe here"

Lea walked up next to Aurea and whispered to her as Joan cautiously followed the Guardsmen. "He says _he's_ had an odd day! He wasn't flipped in a tank as if a child was playing kick ball with you!"

Aurea stifled a laugh and grunted at her Sister's sarcastic words. Frankly, Lea had no idea just how _odd_ the day had been. She saw Geena laying in the mud once more. She shook her head slightly to ward away the memory and fell inline next to a Guardsman. He glanced at her, his hazel eyes tired as both heard the sounds of gunfire in the distance. She hardly glanced at him but from what she saw he was handsome by her standards, if filthy and looked tense enough to shoot anything that moved. She saw Geena again as they marched on the muddy road. _I wonder if Geena ever knew the touch of a man? _She wondered idly through her fatigue and the pain of her bruises.

Aurea herself had never known the touch of a man. It was not allowed by the rules of the Ordo Herecticus. Her sleepy mind continued to ponder over the odd subject. _I'll have to ask her._ She almost stopped walking when she realized what she had thought. It was ridiculous for her to think that way, perhaps confession would help ease her mind.

Lost in her thoughts she hardly caught one of the troopers ahead of her mutter to himself. "I can't fucking wait to be back home." To another soldier.

She felt her lips purse in disapproval of his language. Lea called out. "And just _where_ is home Guardsman? Shouldn't the battlefield fighting in His name be enough for you?" Dianna glanced at Sister Lea with disapproval and Joan groaned from the front. If any of the squad was the most unorthodox and the most often punished for her antics it was certainly Sister Lea.

The soldier blinked in surprise at her words. "Didn't you read the sign, ah… Sister?"

Lea shook her head. Aurea sighed and the man next to her spoke out clearly. "It's Port Sanctuary." Aurea and Lea looked at him. He had not stopped his easy, if tired, walk and neither Sister knew if he was just mumbling or if he was responding to the question.

The Sergeant barked. "Shut your noise hole Private Tordaes! We don't want the enemy deciding to shut it for you just because you can't shut your damned mouth!"

The man next Aurea quieted himself but spat on the corpse of a dead heretic in response to the Sergeant's words. She stared at him. He caught her disapproval and shrugged and muttered. "Sorry, Sister."

The sounds of gunfire in the distance continued as they walked. It was twilight by the time the group of soldiers came to a shattered road and saw the outlines of a large town with a large factory sitting between two rivers. Flickering lights could be seen all over the town, whether it was fire or generated light there was certainly many soldiers within the town. An explosion in the north lit up several gothic Imperial buildings in its bright orange glow.

The Sergeant stopped and spoke out loud. "Welcome Sisters, to home away from home and the latest area on the front to accommodate both the Traitor scum and the Imperial forces. Welcome, to Port Sanctuary."

Sister Lea sniffed from her position next to Aurea. "Doesn't look like much of a sanctuary."

Aurea continued her tired march and heard Geena whisper. _Why did you let me die?_ She looked into the war torn streets of Port Sanctuary and knew that they would find some where to sleep down there. In the back of her mind she prayed to the Emperor. But mainly her thoughts were on the corpse of her fallen Sister five miles away. They passed a flaming crater and with guilt gripping her tired insides and she saw Sister Geena standing by the flames. The light reflected off of the rivets of her bloody breast plate and wreathed half of her helmet in shadow. Sister Geena stared at her even though the men all marched past her. _Why did you let me die?_

-

End notes-

And chapter one is done. Though knowing me, I'll go back through and edit it again and again. The title to chapter one, _Vox vocis of Cado_, translates to the Voices of the Fallen. I'll start preparing Chapter two, though I am not sure as to where the story is headed because this was originally written to be a one shot that turned into a continuation. If you have any ideas feel free to PM my account. This was edited perhaps twice, both times when I was relatively inebriated, so if there is anything wrong I will try and clean it up in the future. Also before you rant about how terrible the story is remember this is not an official bit of fiction. It is fanfiction for a reason. Aside from that, read and enjoy.

-J.


	2. Chapter 2

_I edited this after re-read what I had written. I nearly had a heart attack at all the loose ends._

_Once more: I don't own Warhammer 40,000. Though I would dearly, dearly, love to._

**Chapter 2- ****Vindication of Officium**

The group of Imperial Soldiers made their way into Port Sanctuary by way of the western highway. They walked through wrecked transit vehicles and rotting corpses as the sun's light fully disappeared and darkness lit only by random flames within the city and hand held lights lit the company's way. From what detail Aurea had been able to survey from their higher point of view earlier the highway ran into the city center and connected with the northern, southern, and eastern highways.

Sister Aurea gave a slight shiver as the night's coolness settled in suddenly and gave a silent prayer to the Emperor for a warm bed to greet where ever they stayed. Sister Lea walked next to her softly singing a hymn of devotion and was toying with her helmet at her side. Aurea felt a pang of guilt at losing her own helmet, both Sisters Kierra and Dianna had their helmets looped on their belts, during the battle. She would be punished quite severely for her loss of the armor.

Up ahead of her Guardsmen quickly made their way down the road with Sergeant Harror, he had given his name upon Sister Joan's inquiry. Perhaps he had not wanted to reveal his name out of fear of punishment, regardless Joan would most likely report the fault to a higher up once they found one. It was rude and cowardly not to introduce one's self.

Aurea heard gunshots chatter in the northern distance and moved quicker up to Trooper Tordaes's side and began to keep pace with the hurrying man as the company picked up their pace. He was not moving quickly out of fear she realized as she came upon him, he was simply eager to be out of the muck of no-mans-land. He glanced at her and smiled. When she did not return the smile he looked away with a near silent grunt.

They moved deeper into the city past shattered wrecks, Aurea saw no sentries and nearly scowled at the lack of a guard, deeper into Port Sanctuary. She glanced at the ruins and finally did see some movement as a lone Guardsman who had hidden himself cleverly within collapsed buildings as makeshift bunkers with rubble as camouflage leaned out and gave a call.

"You have to report to the Colonel, Sergeant!" He yelled. Yet again she pursed her lips in disapproval; surely the Sergeant knew to report once he returned?

Sergeant Harror waved to the man but did not break his pace. They continued their fast pace, much to Aurea's tired body's discontent, down an off-ramp that led into the guts of several official Imperial buildings. Finally bright lights greeted, and blinded, them as they came upon the first lit guard post.

A heavy auto-cannon sat behind cement blockades that were attached the side of a building. Two Guardsmen stood outside in heavy long coats and flak jackets. One held up his hand and spoke with a heavily accented voice that sounded almost Vostroyan.

"Please. Report squad, company, and regiment."

The Sergeant approached. "Sergeant Harror, Squad three, eighth Battle Company, of the 86th Hodarra Imperial Guard Regiment."

They all halted as the man examined a dataslate. Sister Kierra moved up next to Aurea and whispered to her. "Combined regiments? Was their faith so little they have been reduced to breaking military code?"

Aurea leaned into her. "We still do not know the details of the attack, Sister. Emperor willing we will have a chance to find the heretics who set those mines." A deeper thought accused her of wanting to find the heretics so she may be able to absolve Sister Geena through the purification of battle. She hushed the voice and watched the Guardsman with the dataslate nod and motion forward Sister Joan.

He saluted her proudly, he looked to be a new Sergeant. "Sister! May I have your informations?" He hurried.

She nodded to him and spoke clearly, knowing Sister Joan it was so the man could understand her words. "Sister Superior Joan Squad eight of the 'Our Martyred Lady' Order of the Adeptus Sororitas."

The man nodded with a large smile while entering data. He certainly was eager. _Perhaps he found Joan to be attractive?_ Aurea was shocked at her thoughts and banished them. She rarely ever dwelled upon such thoughts when she had been a teenager, now that she was but twenty one she did so even less! But this was twice within one night! She mentally asked the Emperor for forgiveness of her thoughts.

Joan turned away and motioned to her squad apparently oblivious to the man's obvious infatuation or admiration, or perhaps both. They followed her and found Sergeant Harror and his squad waiting for them at the entry of a large underground habitation block. Harror motioned quickly and quickly coughed.

"I am sorry Sister Joan, but the nightly shelling is most likely about to begin."

She gave him a piercing stare which the dark eyed man looked away from nervously. She spoke as if speaking to a child. "Sergeant the Emperor shall protect you. If you are to die then you die for Him. So long as you die in his service it will not make a difference as to where you are, for He will protect you." This was how Sister Joan treated anyone outside of her squad, over whom she was sisterly and quite friendly.

He nodded. "Emperor protects, Sister Superior."

She continued the hawk like stare at the Guardsmen but replied clearly. "Emperor protects."

The Battle Sisters all murmured the same prayer in a fluid whisper. Sister Lea looking to the cloudy night sky that randomly had drifts of smoke cross it as the two squads moved into the hab block. The blond haired Sister smiled suddenly and quickly took her place at Aurea's side.

"I thank the Emperor every time I can see the moon. It really is beautiful." She whispered to Aurea. Aurea looked up and sure enough saw the glowing orb that hovered in the night sky watching the war almost like a disapproving mother. Aurea agreed with Lea but did not speak. She was tired and her body ached, all she wanted was to pray and find a bed.

They descended down a heavy set of stone stairs where several guards stood silently, one smoking a Lho Stick. They passed them and descended deeper for several minutes passing more Guardsmen that walked passed them while on their way to leave on patrol. Finally after three floors they came to a large open door way that was fully capable of fitting eight abreast through. The Sergeant did not miss a beat and proceeded to enter, Sister Joan entered silently. The room they entered was large with defenses flanking the doorway. Another set of steps descended in the back of the room and two hallways sprouted off of the sides.

They passed twenty armed men that stood at the defenses and ran a heavy vox station and proceeded down the stairs. They came to a large hallway with doors every twenty feet. Out of these doors Guardsmen spoke and Officers yelled at them to be silent. There must have been close to two thousand men living in the massive hallway. A stern Commisar joined them with his peaked officer's cap under one arm from a side room that appeared to be a chapel. His black hair was slicked back with out a strand out of place and his bionic eye glaring at them in accusation as his long coat flapped gently with his steps. None of the Sisters paid him mind yet all the Guardsmen kept their eyes to the floor.

After minutes of walking they found another set of stairs and descended once more to another hallway. Ten minutes later, and several more hallways, they had passed through an entire mixed battle group of the Imperial Guard and finally exited to a large hall that served as the cafeteria, here there were even [I]_ more_[/I] soldiers. Aurea smelled the food and her mouth watered and Harror gave his squad the order to go retrieve a hot meal. Her stomach groaned in protest as they left the hallway and entered another hall that was divided. Her hunger could wait.

This was the largest by far, the center holding two dozen Leman Russ battle tanks and their engineer crews. The left wing was the command center and to the right a set of stairs ascended to another room.

"You'll want to speak to the Colonel." Sergeant Harror said as he stopped outside of the command center and waited for permission to enter as the Commissar who had accompanied them this far proceeded inward with out a single tone uttered to his companions. "He'll explain to you just what did happen."

Joan nodded slightly. "Very well. Thank you for the escort Sergeant Herror. Next time maintain your faith. It was unsettling how little you trusted the Emperor."

Harror opened his mouth a rebellious gleam in his dark eyes. A Guardsman appeared out of the doorway and cut off what ever Harror was going to respond by beckoning them inward.

The command center was bustling with activity. Hologram battle plans floated from a central projector and orderlies rushed about along side Troopers speaking into several master vox sets. The Commissar stood speaking with a pepper gray haired man with a jagged scar down one side of his face. His flak jacket was plain except for a golden Aquila on the left breast. He motioned to an orderly and spoke commands and the man rushed off to perform his duties.

Harror stopped a short distance away from the holograms and waited. Sister Joan stood next to him and her squad stood respectfully out of the way. All were ragged, filthy, and exhausted. Aurea was convinced it was by the Emperor's own hand that none of them fell from exhaustion. Joan had washed away the blood when they had been at their ruined Rhino and even with several cuts on her beautiful face, after marching for hours with no reprieve, she stood tall, strong, and seemed unaffected by the fatigue. That had always been Sister Superior Joan, bearing the weight of battle better than any. In Aurea's opinion had she been man she would have been taken into the fiercest Adeptus Astartes Chapter.

The Colonel noticed the Sororitas and he and the Commissar proceeded over to them. He glanced at the Sisters with an emotionless face and turned to Harror. "Sergeant Harror, what do you have to report?"

Harror straightened and spoke clearly though his body betrayed his fatigue. "Colonel Remus, my squad did not see the Traitors. Though, we did find these Sisters as they came upon our position." His brow furrowed. "Sir, I believe the Traitors slaughtered Durran and his squad and reached the northern side of the city. We found their bodies yesterday morning."

The Colonel was emotionless and nodded. "In that case your men will continue to search for the Traitor Astartes." Aurea nearly broke her facade at his words. She knew that the Traitors had come to the war but they were reported to be all south, assaulting the major cities. What would the Chaos want with a minor factory settlement such as Port Sanctuary? "You may retrieve your usual armor. It was necessary to disguise you as regular Guardsmen for your mission. You are dismissed." Harror snapped to attention and gave a firm salute. He backed up and began to leave.

Sister Joan spoke up suddenly. "Colonel my apologies for speaking out of turn, I will serve penance for my rudeness." The Colonel nodded and motioned for her to continue. "Colonel, I request that Sergeant Harror's squad be deployed with mine or mine with his."

The Colonel's grey eyebrow arched. "May I inquire as to why, Sister Superior?"

Aurea liked the Colonel immediately. He was straight forward and his voice echoed command and he was not overbearing as many Imperial officers were. He very clearly had a strong hold over the loyalty of his men here on the battle field. And judging by the jagged pink scar on his face, he had seen every thing there was to see and could easily out match her war stories.

Joan bowed her head and spoke respectfully. "Of course, Colonel. If he hunts the Heretics we _must_ be there to fight them. I have few Sisters left in my squad and we all wish to bring the Emperor's holy vengeance upon them and wish to find the Traitors and bring to them the Emperor's Justice."

The Colonel was unreadable as his mind tumbled over the beautiful Battle Sister's words. He had clearly not expected the Sister Superior to request such a dangerous mission in such a ragged state. Aurea felt a sinful pride for her Sister's dedication. Just the thought of the Traitors made her anger rise like fire in her stomach and she nearly scowled. To calm her self Aurea silently prayed for the strength to cast each of them down her self. Her fatigue and wounds were forgotten it seemed.

The Commissar had hardly moved the entire conversation and with out a word to the Colonel he stepped closer to Sister Joan, his bionic eye peering at her, his hard face in scrutinizing study. She stood under his scrutiny unflinching and clearly unafraid. He sniffed. "That is not your only reason is it girl?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Sister Joan glanced at him. "No." She replied curtly.

The commissar was still blank. "Tell us your other motive then. And careful with your words Sister, the Emperor hears all and judges all. There is no room for the guile ridden tongue within the Imperium."

Joan looked down her nose at the black haired officer in a clear attempt of covering her anger. "I am _well_ aware of that, _sir_." She replied tightly. Aurea was tense and her hand had drifted to the pommel of her sword at the tone in her Sister's voice. She could not necessarily attack the Commisar, she would be executed immediately if he did not kill her; but she could not watch her beloved Sister Superior be disrespected so. Joan was a Daughter of the Emperor.

Joan cleared her throat and spoke with the voice she used when in battle. It was hard and sharp like a bayonet yet clearer than crystal water. "Your Sergeant Harror showed a lack of faith on our way here. I wish to keep an eye on him. If he is indeed hunting the Traitors then he no doubt has fought them and had contact with them and could have been corrupted. My Sisters and I are apart of the Ordo Hereticus, in case you had forgotten, _sir_. And it is our Emperor sworn _duty_ to look into such matters,_ sir_."

The Commissar nodded slightly with out ever changing the emotionless mask that was his face and went back to Colonel Remus who had watched the whole showdown with out movement. He spoke as Harror stared stonily at the Sister, he could quite easily be executed for the Sister Superior's blunt words. "Very well Sister, but let me assure you. Sergeant Herror is quite devout. As we all are. You will be alerted along with his Grenadiers for their next assignment."

"Colonel Remus I believe that is my place to choose where my Sisters are deployed."

All stared abruptly at a tall woman with jet black hair excluding a solid stripe of white at her crown standing to the side in beautiful baroque white power armor with deep robes flowing from them, the robes appeared to be blood red but the inner coat was jet black with widely spaced silver fleur-de-lis embroidered onto it. It was the Canoness Camilla, the commanding Sister of the entire order in the war. Her startling green eyes were sharp and her older, yet attractive, face had a black fleur-de-lis tattooed under her left eye. She strode forward and the Colonel nodded.

"I assumed they were your's Sister Camilla. But your Sister Superior is quite adamant in her goal. There was not disrespect intended." He said as the white armored woman surveyed her Sisters under a blade sharp eye. Aurea straightened and held her hands in front of her and stared straight ahead.

The older woman nodded approvingly and Aurea felt pride grow within her. Guilt suddenly whispered within her and she realized that Sister Geena would never meet the Canoness. The white armored woman turned to the Colonel. "She is of the Order of Our Martyred Lady and an outstanding soldier of the Emperor. If there is even a hint of chaos it is her duty to purge the heretics." She motioned to Joan, who kneeled immediately with her head bowed. "She was following her instinct on your Sergeant. Since you have already given your approval of their working cooperating together I will give my permission." Suddenly she turned to the stone hard Commissar her eyes dangerous. "But if you Commissar Aldrecht, _ever_ threaten one of my Order again I will have you severely punished and reprimanded, let us not forget that only _one_ Sister has ever been reported to having been corrupted by Chaos. Do not forget how many _men_ have been turned." With that she turned on her arched armored heel and spoke to the Adeptus Sororitas before her. "Sisters, please proceed to the chapel at the far side of this level."

The Colonel nodded once more with a slightly bemused smile and the Commissar did not blink as he stared at the Canoness. Sister Camilla walked to Herror, who stood stalk still at the mighty commander's attention. "I do not doubt your faith Herror, you have proven yourself a valiant soldier of the Emperor right under my own eye, but if this has come under the suspicion of my Sisters with the reputation of one such as Sister Joan then we shall watch you carefully." She motioned with her hand over his head and heart. "The Emperor protects." And with that she followed her Sisters out of the command center.

They crossed the large vehicle bay and Aurea could see a large automated door that would lead outside for the vehicles to exit from. Canoness Camilla strode alongside her Sisters and cast a cool eye upon an engineer who had spat absent mindedly. His eyes widened and he ducked out of view. Whole crews jumped out of their way as they marched up the ramp leading on the left wing. The ramp ascended several stories and came right into the barracks for the Battle Sisters and many knelt in prayer before battle. All saw the tired and battered squad that had entered their midst and gave their tired Sisters friendly nods. But Aurea knew they watched mainly because the Squad was escorted by the Canoness herself.

They entered a side passage and came to a stone barracks room adorned with several small holy statues inlaid into the walls. Several Sisters in white robes stood around medical supplies. They were the medical arm of the Apedtus Sororitas Orders Hospitaller.

"Sister Hospitaller Ceres! Please tend to these Sisters. Sister Superior Joan, come with me." Sister Camilla led Joan further into the depths of the chapel as a white robed Sister and several others like her rushed over to the battered squad. They beckoned and hurried them to a private quarter, the Battle Sisters tiredly agreeing.

An almond eyed Sister sat Aurea down and immediately began to undo her armor with trained and careful hands. Aurea watched her remove her automated armor and disconnect her chest piece revealing her stinking red robes. Farther down from her they already had Sister Dianna nude to her waist and were tending her wounds diligently. Lea had already been laid down and they were examining her blood caked chest. Sister Kierra was being checked carefully for the inevitable concussion. The Hospitaller Sister gently moved her head and was serene as she very gently pulled the tabard like robes over Aurea's head. A sudden flash of pain across her ribs caused Aurea to gasp in pain.

Her ribs must have been cracked. The suit must have been the only support her battered body had been able to use, and now with all of it gone the pain from the crash slammed into the white haired woman. She groaned and tried to grab her ribs on instinct. With out a word the Hospitaller Sister pushed her arms down firmly and gave her a warning look with her soft coffee colored eyes and hurried off to retrieve the medical supplies.

After laying her down and different fast healing, and numbing, medi-creams were applied the almond eyed woman smiled at Aurea and brushed the dirty white hair out of her face. "You will survive Sister. By the morning you shall be fine and able to serve Him in battle once more. The Emperor must have been smiling upon you for many of the wounds should have been serious. May He continue to watch over you."

Aurea was in nothing but a thin white slip and her chest heaved as the creams slowly took the bite of her wounds away. She tried to smile to the healer but only managed a small moan. "Thank… thank you… Sister." She panted out.

The other woman smiled warmly and brushed Aurea's sweat caked forehead with a soft hand. "Do not thank me, for it is my duty; praise the Emperor he is your true savior." With that she left Aurea mouthing silent prayers.

Sleep was quick to come to the exhausted Aurea. She let out a whispered prayer to the Emperor for the lives of her Sisters and praised him for her own survival. "In you name I shall carry on to crush your enemies." She breathed out. With the final syllable slipped off of her elegant lips darkness claimed her.

-

Sister Aurea stood in a lush meadow. Golden rays of sunlight poured through the canopies of great trees and sparkled on a small green water brook. Taking several tentative steps she looked skyward and saw the large baroque glass roofing of an Imperial building. Massive slabs of crystal clear glass three hundred feet long created the ceiling. She must have been in an indoor park on an Imperial planet.

"This is where I grew up."

Sister Geena walked through the divide between two massive bushes with thick green leaves. Her armor was still torn and bloody and she still wore her helmet. Her sensual female body armor left deep foot prints on the grass as she joined Aurea in the small clearing.

Aurea looked at Geena cautiously. "Why do you show me this, Sister?"

Geena's helmet scanned the surrounding beauty mournfully. "I still have my memories… It's so odd for I have not seen this park since I was but five. I wander here in the halls of my past."

Aurea looked around and the same guilt grew in her stomach and she spoke quietly. "The Emperor made this place quite beautiful, Sister."

A very un-zealous snort came from the helmeted apparition. "He did not create this. Engineers and hundreds of gardeners created this park."

Aurea went silent. Sister Geena had not ceased her reassuring the guilt within the living Sister. Aurea had meant only to be polite. Geena was looking around and her body spoke of unknowable amounts of sorrow. She looked at Aurea's icy face.

"I am sorry, Sister Aurea. I am not purposefully rude." She looked around once more. "I wander my memories when you are not here. Perhaps I am in purgatory to review my sins? Regardless you do not deserve my shortness."

Aurea nodded. "Confess then Sister Geena. Perhaps then your soul shall be sent to His heaven." She could not believe her words, perhaps she felt responsible for Geena after all. "Repent your soul so that you may not dwell within your sorrows and you may sit by His side."

Geena stood still and unmoving and suddenly the world spun into blackness and was replaced with the steps of a mighty cathedral. Massive gothic towers soared many hundreds of feet into the sky, almost as if they were beacons for faith. Massive engraved doors sat closed behind the two Battle Sisters. A thriving Imperial city sat around them, if empty of people.

Geena motioned around her. "This is where I was found before I was taken into the Order." She looked at Aurea. "I never thought twice about my life with the Order. It was my choice after what happened."

Aurea looked around and the glorious structures around them. "What happened?" She immediately took back the words as the world spun nauseatingly. They were still on the same steps, this time they were littered with headless corpses and the city burned as armies of Chaos and the Imperium fought across its once beautiful face.

Sister Geena bowed her head. "The forces of Chaos staged a coup and murdered the Governor and it took all of a week for their wretched forces to ruin the face of my home. They murdered everyone I loved." Suddenly a young woman ran from out of the rubble and a large group of Sisters moved into the street. The teenager rushed out clutching a pistol that she could hardly keep aimed at the approaching force. She had tears running down her face and when she saw the Sisters she fell to her knees. Geena watched and continued her oral depiction. "The Order found me." A Canoness in exquisite armor halted several Sisters and went to the girl and spoke shortly and helped the wrecked girl to her feet. Soon the girl was taken back into the ranks by several of the other Sisters. "They took me as one of their own. I had no family. I had no reason to stay. All I wanted to do was hunt down Chaos. That became my reason for life."

The world spun again and they were suddenly standing among the thick trees in the lush gardens once more. Sister Geena looked around. "I prefer this part of my memories…"

Aurea nodded silently. She felt her fallen Sister's pain. Her own family had been slaughtered by Chaos Cultists and she had been found by an Imperial Priest. The rest was just the Order and the hunting of the Heretic. She remembered her question from the march from no-mans-land to Port Sanctuary. _Perhaps I am going mad…_

"Sister Geena, may I ask you a personal question?" Geena nodded with out looking at her. "Have you… have you ever known the touch of a man?"

The helmeted Sister looked at her. Aurea blushed slightly at her blunt question. It was not appropriate but she had been wondering and such thoughts need to be cleansed from her body as soon as possible.

"Once." Aurea looked at her opening her mouth in criticism and Geena held up a bloody hand. "It was the one man I thought I loved. The Emperor took that empty part of my life for me and kept me satisfied through faith and service. I was more than happy with my life to Him."

Aurea nodded and looked at the grass. She spoke quietly. "I have never known the touch of a mortal man." She looked up. "I have been having these thoughts and inclinations over our fellow Sisters wondering over them. I never have had these kinds of thoughts. I have always loved the Emperor above all." She blushed and stammered. "W-what… what is _it_ like?"

Geena looked up at the massive windows of the ceiling. She spoke warmly. "It is… amazing." An armored hand touched her bloody breast right above her heart. "But faith is our resolve. A simple of act of human compassion and instinct is looked upon as highly distasteful and executable." She looked at Aurea, who was quite red at this point. "I know that you were wounded when the Rhino was wrecked. If I concentrate on you I almost look at you from over your shoulder as if I as right behind you. I have always been a sinfully minded woman, my penance duties were to root them out, perhaps my thoughts are drifting to yours? I did not try peering into you much, but I _had_ thought you had died. I do not know how this has happened. Perhaps it is part of our ability to redeem ourselves."

Audrea arched an eyebrow, her blush completely gone. "And just how would a _dream_ know that? You could easily be supplementing these words from my very own memories of today."

Geena shrugged. "I don't know, I am only an instrument of the Emperor." She was motionless suddenly. "What city are you in? I know you are some where with a populace."

Aurea looked at Sister Geena skeptically and spoke with disbelief dripping off of every word. "Port Sanctuary. The front has been pushed to the battle lines being drawn through the city." Geena was motionless for a time. Aurea looked around the 'memory' and muttered. "Emperor protect me…"

Suddenly Geena was back. "You must leave Sister. I will be with you as best I can." Aurea sighed and Geena's bloody finger pointed at her accusingly yet her voice remained calm. "Whether you will believe or not it is not my place to argue with you, let your _guilt _be your motivation. I am beginning to believe that the Emperor wants me to be here." The finger lowered but Aurea felt a burning sense of guilt at the blood stained gauntlet. "Be careful and know that the Emperor protects and I shall pray for you."

"Why should I be careful?" Aurea asked accusingly. "I am fully capable of handling myself."

Geena stared at her. "I do not doubt you Sister. But I sense a malicious evil within Port Sanctuary. _Something_ is there. Something that I am positive, the Traitors and Heretics desire as it beckons them to it." Geena's hand was on Aurea's arm in one swift motion. "Be ever vigilant and hold your prayers to your heart, Sister. For I am certain this sense of evil can be nothing other than Chaos."

Aurea stared at the dream woman. _There are Traitor Astartes within the city…could it be that my dreams are actually talking to me?_ She nodded. "Very well. I will believe you. But I will also confess during sermons of this. Otherwise, Emperor protect me, I believe I am going mad."

Geena was motionless. "Emperor protects Sister Aurea."

The world began to fade and Sister Aurea replied to the fallen woman. "The Emperor saves."

-

Aurea was awoken by a light shaking of her feet. She opened her eyes. _Emperor, but that was not enough sleep!_ She thought grumpily. She quickly quieted her dissatisfaction and looked to her tormenter. It was Sister Lea. She was smiling and fully armored.

"It is another glorious day in His name Sister Aurea! It is time to rise to battle."

Aurea sat up with a small groan. Her ribs were still slightly painful but they were acceptable. She saw Sister Dianna and Kierra pulling on their power armor, Dianna farther along than the still groggy Kierra. She immediately pulled on her freshly washed red robe and stood. With practiced motions she tightened the robes down and straightened it. She must have been cleaned while she slept for her skin was no longer covered in dirt, blood, and grime stains.

"Battle Sister." A stern voice called out. Lea turned and her smile immediately died on her lips and she went to her knee while keeping her eyes on the ground. A Celestine Sister stood in the doorway of the room, her power armor shining and boring the awards of a Sister of many years. She was sharp nosed and her hair was prematurely dark grey. Her sharp brown eyes were disapproving. "Where is your Sister Superior. I will see to it that you spend penance time for such blatant sarcasm of the Emperor's holy name."

Lea was motionless. "Yes, Sister. I shall accept my punishment as is fitting one who has blasphemed."

Her armor had been cleaned by a Sister as she had slept apparently for all the mud and grime was gone. With out a word Aurea pulled on her chest plate and heard it seal with a mechanical click. Following her breast plate she pulled on her gauntlets and they attached with a similar sealed click as well. It appeared to be a normal day, Sister Lea was already being punished. The Celestine moved into the room and motioned Lea up. Her eyes were hard as the platinum haired woman stood.

"I have two new Battle Sisters for your squad." She beckoned behind her and two young Sisters, no more than perhaps sixteen or seventeen years, came in with pious and disapproving looks at the older Sisters. They very clearly loved the hard nosed Celestine.

Aurea stood and brushed her hair out of her face. "I will take them Sister. Our Sister Superior shall be along shortly."

The sharp eyes turned to her. "Be sure of that Sister." With that she turned on her heel and left the room. Lea swallowed and looked to Aurea.

"I suppose the Emperor loves her for her discipline and strictness." Her face broke into a smile. "The Emperor smiles upon me this day, she forgot to report to Sister Joan."

Kierra shook her head and Dianna glowered at her gauntlet as it was being difficult to attach. Aurea turned to the two new Sisters. They stood perfectly still and both tried desperately to hide the gleaming disapproval in their eyes.

"I am Sister Aurea." She named off the rest of the squad as the two new Sisters looked them up and down. "Welcome Sisters."

One spoke. She had auburn hair and her face showed only the experience of a fresh soldier. "I am Sister Tynea. Has the Emperor graced us with battle today?" She spoke much to fast and was far too eager to be on with their duties.

Lea smiled. "Yes he has Sister. He has graced us with many battles today."

The second was dark haired with skin the color of light chocolate and did not speak loudly as her ice cold blue eyes bored into each Sister. "I am Sister Hera."

Kierra stood. "Welcome Sister Hera." With that she went to one of the statues and went to her knees and began to pray. Knowing Kierra it was for the new Sisters to survive the day.

Sister Joan entered the room just as Kierra had knelt. She rounded on her squad and the new members, her face only had the bare traces of her scars and would not scar, another one of Sister Joan's incredible traits. "We leave in ten minutes. I'd suggest you finish dressing Sisters. Other wise the Punishment for Sloth may be considered." All of them stood still as Joan looked over them. She came to the two new Sisters and she nodded. "I am sure you have met the rest of the squad, I am Sister Superior Joan." She looked to Lea suddenly. "When we return you shall clean all of the dishes within the kitchen and accept a five lash chastisement for your blasphemy this morning." Lea groaned and Dianna let out a light snicker. Sister Joan smiled. "Prepare for battle Sisters for the Emperor smiles upon us this day to smite the Traitor."

They left their quarters fully armored, Aurea receiving a new helmet with a promise of penance duties later, and proceeding down into the vehicle bay where they met Harror's squad. The ten men were in heavy grey carapace armor with the Imperial Aquila upon their left breast on the chest plate and armor covering their limbs. Each man wore armored skull fitting helmets with radio communicators and video lenses on the sides of the helmet. Their faces were covered by advanced chem masks with light glowing green and white lights. They stood next to a Imperial Chimeria APC that had a heavy auto-cannon welded to it's turret. Harror saluted as they approached.

"Sister Joan. Are you prepared to leave?"

She nodded to him from beneath her helmet and spoke. "The Emperor's wrath must be delivered." She motioned her squad over to a Rhino decorated with Sororitas memorabilia. She walked after them and called out. "May the Emperor watch over you Sergeant Herror.

Within the rumbling tank the squad sat quietly as each Sister whispered hymns of protection to themselves. The two new Sisters sat stiff backed and a light sweat had begun to form on their foreheads, quite composed Aurea thought for their first battle. Joan's voice suddenly crackled over the inner-com.

"Remember Sisters! The Emperor shall protect you and if you fall, you fall defending Him and there is no greater honor!"

All could hear the sounds of gunfire and shells raining into the battle field as the Rhino shot through ruined streets. None spoke as Joan came to the back and pulled out her bolt pistol and went to her knees while the tank rumbled on under Kierra's hand. The pistol came between her eyes as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the holy weapon and spoke in a loud clear and strong voice. Each Sister bowed her head against their weapon and each intoned clearly after Sister Joan.

"A spiritu dominatus, Domine, libra nos, From the lighting and the tempest, Our Emperor, deliver us."

A massive explosion sounded outside of the tank. None faltered, least of all Sister Joan.

"From plague, temptation and war, Our Emperor, deliver us, From the scourge of the Kraken, Our Emperor, deliver us. "

They picked up their prayer's pace suddenly as heavy bolter fire rang against the armored hide of the Rhino.

"From the blasphemy of the Fallen, Our Emperor, deliver us, From the begetting of daemons, Our Emperor, deliver us,"

The tank rumbled loudly beneath their armored feet yet their lips never stopped.

"From the curse of the mutant, Our Emperor, deliver us, A morte perpetua, Domine, libra nos."

The tracks suddenly stopped and gunfire rattled against the armor of the tank and Sister Joan lowered her pistol and opened her calm chestnut eyes as she continued in prayer.

"That thou wouldst bring them only death"

The sounds of battle could clearly be heard through the armor as the rear hatch lowered and the pale light of the battle field shined in illuminating the praying Sisters. Sister Joan's ornate helmet sealed as she pulled over her head, yet her voice could still be heard.

"That thou shouldst spare none, That thou shouldst pardon none,"

All of the Sororitas stood as one and in a flurry of black power armor and foreboding unforgiving helmets poured out of the lowered rear door of the Rhino with the final line of their Battle Prayer ringing through the squad's inner communicator and echoing out to their foes. Aurea saw them from within her new helmet, the outlines of heretic soldiers and she smiled and spoke with a great dark voice so that they could hear her words before she let her holy bolter punish their bodies.

"We beseech thee, destroy them!"

-

Well that is chapter 2. This will most likely be edited but I have to post it now. I wrote of this today in a flurry of ideas. It was incredibly fun to write and I am looking forward to chapter 3.

A little note chapter 2's title _Vidication of Officium_ is simply: Vindication of Duty.

See you once Sister Aurea decides to kick me awake and get back to it.

-J.


	3. Chapter 3

_Wow, I really am getting irritated with having to write a damn disclaimer every time…I don't own Warhammer 40,000 and I am not making in money from this._

**Chapter 3- ****Alcedonia Indutus In Cruor**

A man screamed in agony as the overwhelming sounds of shells exploding rang through the streets. The loud roar of Sister Aurea's bolter rang out to join the rest of the sounds of combat. Spent shells were ejected smoking to litter the rubble strewn ground that Aurea stood upon. Las fire cracked around her and soared past her face as she let her weapon speak. Within her daunting helm she was calm with hardly a drop of sweat on her pristine face.

A heretic's arm was blown off in a spray of gore and bone as one of her shots found their mark. The following shot punched a massive bloody hole through the man's flak armored torso. He fell to the muddy ground and she had already moved.

Aurea's powerful legs shot her forward to a section of building that had fallen into the street that the squad now fought from. She could see Heretic reinforcements rushing up the rubble littered street. Each man carried the mark of chaos upon their armor or flesh and many had brutal melee weapons on their hips.

Sister Superior Joan stood with her power sword drawn, its razor edge glimmering from the fires of ruined buildings, her other hand had her bolt pistol raised and was shooting into the Heretic positions. Aurea and Sister Kierra had found several traitors trying to flank the squad and after giving the Emperor's Judgment upon them both Sisters had returned to the squad.

Sister Joan's voice crackled over the communicator suddenly. "Sister Aurea, take Sister Hera and circle their flank to the right around our Rhino. We shall advance and regroup with Sergeant Herror's Grenadiers."

Aurea nodded and she motioned the crouched Hera to follow her. The new Sister stood shakily as las fire tore into her cover. Hera very clearly did not want to be volunteering for the mission. Aurea ran towards the broken down form of their Rhino, expecting the woman to follow.

A sudden flurry of las shots hit around her as she rounded one of the shattered walls. One struck her breast plate and she grunted as the armor took the shot and threw herself back behind the wall. Sister Hera reached her.

Aurea motioned with her gauntlet. "We have resistance. We'll need to rush them."

Hera nodded and raised her bolter as Aurea leaned around the corner. Before las fire peppered her cover she spotted five heretic Guardsmen crouching in a ruined fountain. With out hesitating Aurea seized one of the frag grenades on her belt and glanced back at Hera.

"Pray my aim is accurate Sister."

Hera nodded and Aurea knew the young woman was most likely doing just that. In one motion Aurea leaned out from the corner and tossed the prepped grenade in a high arc. It clattered into the pool and the men yelled and one tried to grab it. Aurea and Hera had already moved towards them. With a loud explosion of shrapnel and flamed the five panicked men were torn to pieces.

Aurea hurried past the fountain and quietly praised the Emperor for the accuracy of her throw. She and Hera ran through craters for several hundred feet until they found the full flank of the Heretic platoon that kept their squad pinned, perhaps twenty soldiers. The men were spread out in small clumps while firing from the cover of craters and ruined wall. It was amazing that they had not rushed the entrenched squad of Sisters, it was a deathly mistake. She pointed at the closest squad of men.

"Fire upon them Sister, I will move to attack the second."

Hera nodded and moved up to the wall and as Aurea rushed forward over the rubble she fired. Two men died immediately. Their bodies twisting and exploding as the bolter fire tore them apart. _She fights well. _A voice whispered. Aurea quickly shushed it as she sprinted past the dieing men and began to whisper hymns of protection and nearly smiled. A day when heretics died was a good day. Regardless of victory or defeat, it could be considered a success, the voice seemed to agree in its silence.

The squad Sister Aurea assaulted was crouching within the burnt remains of a transit vehicle. Their gleeful smiles and the scream of their lasguns entailing the punishment they were laying down on the squad. Aurea called to the Emperor to protect her and lowered her bolter as she ran.

Two shots fired and a shaggy headed man's head turned into red mist. She smiled as the others looked to her in confusion. She laughed as her rounds turned two more men into meaty pulp. Had it not been for her new helmet she doubted that she could have coordinated her attack as well thanks to the bare traces of light that had started creeping into the smoky sky. Regardless Sister Aurea praised the Emperor the entire time she shot down the traitors.

Two were left and they smiled cruelly as they rushed her over the few feet left between them, obviously assuming that she would be easy prey no at such. Aurea had been so elated with the deaths of the others that she had not noticed the two diving for cover and advancing upon her. _That was sloppy and arrogant. Be sure to kill them._ The voice whispered again. Aurea was distracted as the voice whispered to her. They were too close for her to shoot and one leapt at her his face smiling manically. Only the Emperor knew what they were thinking.

The one who leapt giggled as he tried to grab her and Sister Aurea unhesitatingly rammed the handle of her bolter into his face in response. He screamed as his teeth fell bloodily from his mouth. With out hesitating she aimed her bolter at the man on the ground. His hand came up.

"The false God shall fall whore! You may kill me but there will be billions more in my place!" He screamed and blood flew from his ruined mouth.

Aurea looked at him coolly from within her helmet and spoke. "Then let them rise heretic. I shall bring the Emperor's judgment to anyone who betrays Him." With that she blew his body apart with two loud shots.

The second had not been nearly as fast to react seeing as it was dark and he was slipping on the corpses at his feet. He struggled to get away from the shattered bodies of his ex-squad and grabbed her arm. The heretic was much larger than Aurea. His flak armor covered a massive muscled chest and his unshaven face was tattooed. He raised a pistol and aimed for her chest. Aurea rushed forward as the man fired and pierced her armor. The pain of the las shot was searing but Sister Aurea did not pause as she rammed her armored shoulder into his gut. The man grunted and staggered back a step.

Aurea released her bolter so that it hung from her shoulder and gripped the man. His skin was so pale that she could see his veins beneath his flesh. Using her momentum from running she dragged the man down to her. Caught off guard and still reeling from the blow to his stomach, the man had no choice but to descend. With a growl Aurea slammed her sharpened knee guard into his stomach as the power armor sent mechanical force into her blow.

The sound of ripping flak armor was audible and the man let out a painful moan as her armor tore open his stomach. Shoving him backwards Sister Aurea watched the huge man tumble to the ground. _Finish him. _The voice whispered. His stomach bled heavily and made the dirt around him muddy. He looked at her with bared teeth. She stalked forward and un-holstered her bolt pistol.

His own las pistol raised to shoot her and he laughed. She narrowed her eyes and squeezed the trigger. Her bolter spoke and his raised hand exploded. He screamed and grasped the stump as blood spurted on him as Sister Aurea advanced.

The man growled and tried to stand, his eyes wild. Aurea slammed her boot into his wound and twisted the tip as blood flowed over it. At her brutal touch the large man screamed as her powered boot dug into his flesh. _Let the Emperor guide me. _Aurea silently intoned. Leaning forward she pressed and twisted her boot in with more vigor. She felt organs pop as her foot entered his torso.

"Mercy!" He screamed as his stump slapped at her leg.

Within her helmet Sister Aurea smiled and raised her pistol and twisted her foot once more. The heretic writhed and wept as she destroyed his innards. The Emperor's justice could know no bounds, and mercy was for the weak. Aurea spoke to him as she pressed down with her foot and felt his stomach give a wet pop. "Do not consider this _mercy_ heretic. Consider this a gift from the Emperor." She fired and his head exploded. Dragging her foot out of the dead man reminded her of Geena and she remembered Geena's account of her joining the Order. _This is only one to cleanse our souls. _Aurea thought. She thanked the Emperor for her luck in battle and then cursed as she kicked off bits of organ that had stuck to her boot.

Sister Hera stood behind her and had clearly watched the entire fight. Aurea motioned to her. The younger Sister approached and looked at the dead body. She had clearly never been in close quarters combat. _If her faith and courage hold she may just survive…_ Aurea thought absently. She had seen dozens of Sisters die and would not be surprised if Hera fell today.

"Why did you not just kill him, Sister?" Hera's quiet voice asked.

Aurea kicked off the rest of the mans innards from her boots and turned away to continue her assault. "He was a heretic and deserved punishment more than just a quick death. Now come Sister Hera, there are more to gift the Emperor's wrath upon."

The sounds of battle came from soldiers who were being attacked by the rest of the squad. Aurea hurried to support them and called to the Emperor to bless her aim and to purify Geena her own souls, as she lowered her weapon on another squad.

It was not long before the Heretics, men who simply fired weapons but did not possess any actual skill with warfare, had been cut down. Sister Joan beheaded their commander and the Sisters regrouped and began moving down the shattered street to regroup with the Grenadiers. None of their number had been lost. Kierra and Aurea both now sported minor wounds but they gave prayers of fortitude and continued with their duties.

The call to fight had been issued when the Traitors made another assault through the North side of the town. The entire garrison that they lived with had rushed to the fighting as fast as possible. It was during the initial attack that Harror's Grenadiers and the Battle Sisters were separated. They met stiff resistance when they tried to regroup and it was not long before the dead from both sides littered the dark streets. In the dead of night it created a shadowy nightmare that only the light of weapons firing revealed anything. None of this was helped when the Battle Sisters were trying to find the Grenadiers.

Aurea hurried next to Sister Superior Joan as they found the Grenadiers. The Guardsmen were hidden within a ruined chapel and had their carapace armored forms stood behind war torn stone walls with several large spot lights set up. Its great gothic arches were bullet ridden and ruined from a shell that had struck the building. The building was apart of a large religious block of the Port Sanctuary and was attached to a gate covered garden walk that led to a large cathedral. Aurea could hear another battle happening towards the cathedral.

They approached cautiously and stepped quickly over slaughtered heretics. The Guardsmen hailed them and it was Sergeant Harror who welcomed them into the strong point.

"Sister Joan, good to see you still breathing." Harror said. His voice vainly tried to hide the slight note of disgruntlement from the meeting with their commanders earlier.

"The Emperor blessed our attack. If it was not for the night attack we would have been here sooner." She replied indifferently to his tone as she pulled her helmet off of her head. "Do you know of any of the details of the attack?"

Harror nodded and suddenly motioned over his shoulder and shouted. "Toradaes! Get some medical supplies and tend to the Sisters." He turned back to Joan. "As we both know they punched straight through the sentries and the first outer defensive potions before we were deployed. After we were separated I received orders that we were to hold this chapel. It seems that the traitors are searching for something." Aurea's ears picked up at Harror's words. Geena had said that that she sensed the taint of Chaos within Port Sanctuary. Harror continued. "They only set up a battle front quickly to distract us and then other heretics search their objective. Once they are done searching they will break the battle and retreat into the shadows. My men and I have already fought two waves trying to search this building believe that this chapel is their objective."

"How do you know that this is the building they search for?" Joan asked.

Harror motioned out of one of the large arched windows. "Because each time they attacked this building specifically they do not search the other structures around us."

Sister Superior Joan's dark eyes stared into the dark street. She glanced at Aurea and Lea, whom stood still and looked at her. _If Chaos wants this building, then we must hold it. _Harror began to tap his armored forearm with impatience. She nodded her head suddenly and turned back to Harror. "We will hold the line with your men. And I will be keeping a close eye upon you." She turned to her squad. "Sisters, we defend this building. The Heretics wish to possess a building of the Emperor's and we shall not give it to them."

Tordaes brought over medical supplies and he rolled his neck as he placed the med sealants next to Aurea as she removed her helmet. "What a long night…" He muttered and glanced at her. "I'm pretty sure I look just as tired as I feel, just how do you maintain looking so fresh?"

"Delivering the Emperor's vengeance should be more than enough reason for your body to remain strong and not need sleep." Aurea responded as she cleaned her wound, no more than a minor las shot that had penetrated her body. It radiated pain through out her body when she touched it, but she knew that it would heal quickly.

Tordaes looked at her and lifted his hell-gun to rest in the crook of his arm. He was taller than her she realized with light brown hair and a very attractive, if unshaven, face. _He is handsome._ The voice whispered. Aurea very nearly whirled around at the thought. _Is that you, Sister?_ She asked herself. There was no reply and Tordaes was chuckling darkly. She glanced up at him.

"What is the cause for your laughter?"

He shook his head with a smile, his hazel eyes merry. "Don't you ever get tired of having to recite the prayers, Sister? I mean it must become rather repetitive." She glared at him. _Perhaps Joan was right to suspect Harror and his men…_She thought wryly. He held up his hands at her icy glare. "I'm just saying that it is ok to lighten up every once and awhile." _How dare he, that is nearly heresy!_ He groaned as she began to open her mouth angrily and her hand drifted to her bolt pistol, he lifted his hands still smiling. "Sister, I am just as devout as any other Servant of the Emperor, I was just trying to lighten the mood. I'm just not good at talking to women." He stared her dead in the eye. "So if you would remove your hand from your pistol and _not_ shoot me just because of a little jibe that would be great." He smiled warily at her and his eyes sparkled making her stomach flutter in a way she was not used to. "Though I must say that the look I got of you last night was…" He coughed nervously and swallowed as he saw her hand tighten on the grip of the weapon. "Sorry… I think…" He trailed off and his eyes searched for some form of apology. Instead he let out another small cough.

_Surely he cannot be suggesting, attraction?_ Her face was still icy and her hand had stopped rubbing her wound yet she gripped the grip of her bolt pistol tightly. She did not know how to process Trooper Tordaes' statement, anger was her first instinct and she accepted it quickly. "Your lack of faith is unsettling. If it were not for our current situation of having to guard this chapel, I would end that issue."

His eyes widened and his smile disappeared. "That's what I mean! A little humor is not that bad of a thing, Sister." She opened her mouth angrily and he sighed. "Sister, I only wanted to start friendly conversation. I figured it is better for soldiers to get along rather than be threatened into fighting. We are posted together with several others on the north western edge of the chapel. I didn't want to enter a death match with out at least knowing the name of the one who is supposed to be watching my back."

She looked at him blankly. Perhaps she had overreacted? Tordaes turned around. "Once you're done cleaning up you can meet me over there. I only wanted to pass a few words with you, and I of course had to run my mouth and now I may be shot by the one who is supposed to be my comrade. Emperor protects, Sister." She was silent as he walked away but she caught him grumbling to himself. "Sarge is right; I am going to get shot because I can't keep my mouth shut."

Aurea knew that faith in the Emperor was all that mattered. But for some reason she felt guilty for treating the man so. But was she not just in her threat? It was her duty to end any disbelief in the Emperor. Or perhaps he had only meant to be friendly, she had never been skilled in communicating with anyone outside of her Sisters… _I do not know what to do…_She finished cleaning her wound and let out a sigh as she stood and replaced her helmet as she walked out the door. Perhaps conversing with the man would not be so bad. So long as he did not blaspheme.

Sister Lea fell into line with her. The woman still had her helmet on and she had been cleaning her meltagun of imaginary grime. "That Guardsman was in there with you an awfully long time, Sister." Lea said teasingly.

Aurea glared at Lea through her helmet. "This is why you are punished so often, Sister. Your impure thoughts are not fitting." She said tightly.

Lea stopped and looked at her. "Sister Aurea I was only teasing you. You are not just my fellow devout Sister, you are also my _sister_. We are friends; friends are allowed to pass light comments to one another so long as we do not blaspheme His name."

"Your thoughts are not pure, Sister." Aurea responded as her Sister's words and Trooper Tordaes's words sunk into her. "You would do well to remember purity."

Lea shook her head and laughed over the private communicator. "Perhaps your sudden rigidness is born from your own thoughts. What did he say to you?"

Aurea growled and hurried forward. Lea sighed and stopped her and took Aurea's hand in her own and bowed her head. "Sister, the Emperor protects us and we him. We love Him and He loves us. When we return if you are this concerned and high strung, perhaps you should serve penance."

Aurea laughed then. Lea looked at her, clearly glaring even though her helmet. "And just what is so funny?"

Aurea, still holding Lea's hand in her own, turned and marched towards the northern side of the chapel. "I would be serving my penance right next to you every day then."

Lea muttered something about "just trying to help" and "I don't serve penance that often." Aurea only chuckled more at her Sister's griping. Tordaes did not deserve rudeness, chastisement certainly, but she would introduce herself. Perhaps Sister Geena was helping her reveal more of her human side. Silently she asked the Emperor for forgiveness for her attraction, it may have been slight but it was attraction to the man, and proceeded to her post.

-

She did not get to talk to Tordaes when she reached her post. Instead she heard Kierra let out a shout as she approached.

"To arms! The foe approaches!"

And they did. These were not the unskilled rabble of soldiers they had fought earlier. These were full fledged heretic Guardsmen, warriors whom served directly under the Traitor Astartes. The spotlights revealed that many sported mutations and all grasped their weapons with blood hungry chants on their dark tongues. They attacked from the north and all the warriors within the chapel moved to combat them. Dianna's heavy bolter suddenly roared to life and five exploded from the heavy rounds tearing into them.

Sister Joan moved up to an opening and unsheathed her sword, her dark hair blowing lightly in a sudden breeze. She raised her sword and called out so that all the gathered Imperials could hear her words.

"Sisters! Let the heretics feel the Emperor's anger!"

Every gun fired. The spent shells rang on the floor of the chapel and the sounds of the Heretics chanting as they advanced as every soldier fired into the company that assaulted them. Aurea stood next to Tordaes, who had donned his mask and helmet, as Sister Tynea fired from a walkway above them with another soldier. Every shot found it's mark and the blood of the heretics wetted the ground in great gouts.

Another man went down from one of her carefully aimed shots and she dedicated each kill to the repentance of Geena. Once or twice she saw the body of her fallen Sister laying among their dead but quickly blinked away the mental picture. And each time the voice inside her would whisper. _Concentrate._ She did not know if she was actually hearing Geena speaking to her or if she was stark raving mad. Regardless she cleared her head of such thoughts and faced the attack with determination and sent many of the traitors back to hell.

Aurea did not know how just how long it had been before the first wave finally faltered. The enemy retreated into the ruins beyond the chapel, stumbling over their dead comrades bodies. Aurea thanked the Emperor for his protection and looked at Tordaes. He was attempting to wrap a bandage around his wounded upper arm. He had removed his helmet and he was sweaty and dirty. His combat gloves were certainly were making a mess of things. _I can tend his wound. _Aurea thought as she moved to him while feeling heat rise in her cheeks.

He cursed as the bandage slipped again. "Damn those heretic bastards back to hell!"

He grabbed at it again but Aurea gently; or as gently as she could in her armor, moved his hand and took the bandage that was soaked with blood and threw it away. He stared at her as she quickly went over to a crate that held on-hand medical supplies and retrieved a fresh bandage and med sealants. She went back to Tordaes who still stared at her, and began to dress the wound. Within her helmet Aurea blushed, but did not stop her touching of the man. He was muscular and hard and his hazel eyes studied her closely with horribly disguised pleasant shock in his eyes. Med sealants sealed his wound and she then tightened down the fresh bandage to keep the wound clean.

Once finished Aurea went back to staring out of the window and prayed. She had done all of it with out a word, not that she would have been able to for her voice had been caught in her throat. Tordaes placed his helmet back on and suddenly shook his head and laughed. She glanced back at him and felt a mental twinge within her mind. He smiled as he pulled on his re-breather unit. The automated lights clicked on and he spoke.

"Sister, you are full of surprises."

Sister Tynea let out a call. "Sister Aurea?" Aurea turned on her heel and began to walk to the rough stairs that led up to the second level and tried to calm her heart rate. Tordaes spoke to her back.

"Your name is Aurea?" She stopped and looked at him, safe within her helmet that could not betray her face. _I will need to cleanse my soul heavily…_She nodded and walked away, he robes swaying on the curvy armor. She could not see it but Tordaes smiled and nodded to himself as he spoke softly. "Aurea…"

-

Laufeia L'Amia watched the soldiers die as the False Emperor's toy soldiers shot them down. She did not mind their deaths; the fools actually thought their blind charge would overthrow such a well entrenched foe. She was thin and willowy with dark red hair that hung in one long braid down her back while an ornately detailed head dress with a dark red gem held in its center held back her bangs. Laufeia's eyes were violet and they complemented her pale skin beautifully. She wore deep blue robes and had light armor over her torso and wore combat boots. Her forearm armor was ornate and heavily detailed. Her elegant hands carried a staff that was only slightly taller than her. Power conduits attached on it with a daemon's skull attached at its head.

"Do you sense it, Sorceress?" A deep bear-like voice growled from her right.

Laufeia broke her view of the slaughter and turned back to the speaker. A massive ten foot man covered in a great suit of dark blue power armor stood behind her. A bronze eight pointed star of Chaos marked his chest and his shoulder pad bore nothing but a skull with fangs on a twisting purple background. A mighty blade hung from his hip and was accompanied by a plasma pistol. The man within the massive suit was handsome with a square chin yet was scarred by several white scars on his face. Despite his attractive appearance his eyes betrayed his dark will and Laufeia knew of the pointed teeth that hid behind his lips.

"Yes I can, Lord Rhodar." She turned back to the scene she had been staring at. She could sense the same strange psychic call as she had for weeks. Lord Rhodar had led his war band from the Black Legion to wage war on the pathetic world at the will of the willowy Sorceress after she had approached him. Rhodar's war band the 'Shadow Lords' had set out from their fortress within the Eye of Terror with the weaker armies of regular Guardsmen that were the servants and slaves of the Shadow Lords and had joined forces with a larger attack force. They were here to investigate the psychic call that Laufeia felt. "I am almost positive that it came from the cathedral."

Rhodar grunted. "They are well entrenched and they have many guards within the house. Are you sure it is here?"

Laufeia sighed irritably. "Yes, Lord."

Rhodar growled and a massive hand suddenly spun the sorceress around. "Careful woman! You have been wrong all night and I am tired of wasting time following your words. If this is incorrect I will throw you to the men and let them have their way with you." He spat. "But you Slaaneshi whores like that kind of thing don't you?"

She glared up at him defiantly and the great fanged skull suddenly seemed to suck what little light was around them into it. She spoke sharply. "The Gods favor me, Lord Rhodar. Do not forget that I went to you because I knew that the World Eaters had recently decimated much of your territory. The Gods may not be looking upon you fondly at this time and I am the one who can sense the Call. I do not only follow The Keeper of Secrets. I have served the Changer of the Ways and it was then that I learned much of my abilities. Both have spoken favor for me. It is not wise to anger one such as me."

Rhodar looked at her and after a tense minute of silence smiled. His teeth sharpened and glistening as he chuckled darkly. "I respect your guts Sorceress. If you were not so powerful or favored by the Gods I would take you as my concubine. And break you." She stared stonily up at the chapel. Rhodar let out a chuckle that reminded Laufeia of Daemons she had summoned and he continued. "We shall crush them and find my reward. Then you shall receive yours." The massive man turned around and motioned behind him another Astartes in the same colored armor. "Send another wave and gather the commanders. Keep the Imperials distracted and send to the fortress to send us reinforcements of Marines." He turned back to her. "I must go organize the attack. We will need your support and possibly your tongue to speak with the Gods."

Rhodar's massive form strode off to his commanders and Laufeia went back to studying the chapel in front of her. She could feel the calling again. This close it nearly made her waver at such a potent psychic ability touching her mind. A voice spoke to her.

_Kill them…Find me and I will make you immortal and more powerful than you could ever dream…Kill them all…_

-

Sister Superior Joan strode among the Imperial soldiers and her Sister's maintaining a constant vigilance. It would be dawn soon and the vox set had said that they would receive reinforcements. They had suffered no casualties but larger numbers would certainly ease her tenseness.

Aurea looked at her Sister Superior as she approached where Aurea stood vigil at a window. Joan had not donned her helmet again and she looked fresh and rested. How the woman was not exhausted and falling over was a gift from the Emperor. Aurea felt the few hours of sleep she had gotten slowly drain away during the battle but she would not let her self accept the fatigue.

"Sister Aurea." She greeted, you would have never have thought they were in the middle of being besieged by the tone of her voice.

"Sister Superior." Aurea replied with as much strength as she could. "It has been long night. Thank the Emperor that it is nearly over."

Joan chuckled. "We have delivered the Emperor's wrath. But it will not be over any time soon." She sighed slightly, the first time in over a week that Aurea had even remotely heard her Sister Superior make such a sound. For a moment Aurea could see the exhaustion in Joan, but then it was gone just as quickly as it had come. Sister Superior Joan was stalwart and resilient. The entire five years that Aurea had served under Joan; she had shown the charisma, command, friendship, and the strength the beautiful woman possessed by an officer and a mighty warrior. She was devout to the Emperor and was beloved by her fellow Battle Sisters. Even when the Celestine Sisters approached her to join their elite ranks as a Celestine she turned them down. Saying: "I belong on the battle field with a holy bolter speaking the Emperor's anger from my hands next to my Battle Sisters, I do not need more to be satisfy my pride or justify my hand." She had been frowned upon by the Celestine but none could upset her decision. She loved her squad almost as much as she worshiped the Emperor.

The dark haired woman turned to Aurea. "I saw what you did for the Trooper you are stationed with. I have never seen you help anyone outside of our squad when they were wounded. Quite 'Out of Character' I think the phrase is." Aurea froze. Joan did not seem to notice, or care, and continued. "We have only room for the Emperor in our lives, Sister Aurea. Sister Lea informed me of your behavior after speaking with him." Aurea was grateful for her helmet so that Joan could not see her shocked face. Joan leaned against the stone wall and watched the breeze stir loose hair and cloth on the dead outside. Her armored hand was stroking her bolt pistol fondly. "I have known you and Sister Lea the longest out of our squad. You have always been a curious one, Sister; at least when you were younger."

"Sister Superior, I-!" Aurea started but Joan held up a warning hand and her eyes were sharp.

"I have known this and you have not shown this kind of behavior since before you were but freshly in the squad. I wish to know why this behavior has resurfaced."

Aurea was silent a moment as she thought about what Geena had said about their thoughts and possibly their desires possibly merging and then responded quietly. "I was only helping him treat a wound."

Joan stared out into the street. "Please, Sister. Please, keep this at nothing less than between soldiers. We are not required to be celibate. But it has been punished with execution in every case I have seen. You are too valuable and close to me to have that happen to you…" Joan's eyes became slightly distant, another trait that Aurea had never seen the woman show. "I once knew a Sister who became pregnant after finding a man she cared for." Aurea blushed at her Sister's obvious hinting. "When the Canoness found out she reported it to the Inquisitor that she served. They yanked the child out of her belly and crucified the poor woman." She looked at Joan, it was _inhuman_ to do such an act but the woman was a Daughter of the Emperor and it was not acceptable to share affections in this day of age. "All because she found care and companionship with a man and was discovered." She pushed off the wall and looked again at Audrea. "Keep your thoughts pure and a prayer on your lips."

"Yes, Sister Superior." Audrea replied as she dropped to her knees and bowed her head. "Emperor, forgive me for my transgression." She murmured as Joan watched her beg forgiveness.

"Stand, Sister. You do not belong on your knees." Aurea raised her head and saw that Sister Joan was smiling. "I did not necessarily mean drop to your knees in prayer though I am sure the Emperor heard you. If you wish to reprimand your sins do so once we return to our monastery. But now we have a company of Heretics to punish." Aurea stood but her head was still hung and Joan made a motion over her bent head. "The Emperor protects, Sister Aurea."

"The Emperor protects." She intoned.

The sound of foot steps reached their ears and Tordaes' grey armored form trooped through the doorway. Tordaes walked up next to the two Sisters, whom both stared down like a hawk would stare down a mouse He had two canisters of field rations in his hands and a weary smile on his face as he tiredly hummed a happy tune. He froze in mid-step and his smile disappeared when he saw the two women staring at him. He recognized the measured look he was receiving and immediately began to sweat; he had seen men executed after such stares from a Sister of Battle. Coughing slightly he looked away from Joan's stare and walked outside the door to wait. Joan turned back to Aurea and threw her a wink.

"He is handsome though, Sister." Aurea felt her jaw drop. _Is Geena affecting Sister Joan!? _She wondered.

_I'm not in her head._ Geena whispered suddenly.

"In the Emperor's name!" Aurea suddenly whispered in surprise. _Get out of my head! Emperor save me I have gone mad!_

_I wish to help you, Sister Aurea. To do that I must be here, and you are not mad. Though after what you did to the heretic in the street earlier I do believe you are almost too fervent in purging the heretics. It was cruel what you did. But he was a traitor._

_No! This is _my_ mind!_

_I believe the darkness I sense is coming from some where behind you._

_Get out! _Aurea mentally begged.

_Very well Sister, remain vigilant. But I will continue to watch._

Then she was gone and Aurea was left wide eyed and hardly able to breathe. She was mad. There was no other way to describe it. Her dreams could not drift into her mind and _speak_ to her. She realized she had not stopped staring at Sister Joan.

"Oh come Sister! You know I am but human." Joan said with a sly smile. "I will serve penance for my thoughts and words as well. May the Emperor forgive me."

Chuckling at her own jest Joan looked out into the street once more and suddenly she was on her feet yelling into her com. "Sisters! To battle!" Her blade was in her hand as was her bolt pistol as Tordaes rushed back into the room with his weapon ready and rations forgotten. He raised his hell-gun just as the heavy bolter rang out and sent advancing traitors scurrying for cover. Joan turned to Tordaes. "Tordaes, we will need more support in this room."

Tordaes nodded and began to speak quickly into his com. The heretics rushed forward and Aurea could see an autocannon being set up in the cover of a ruined window. She squeezed her trigger and watched one of the heretics drop with a scream as his leg was separated from his body at the hip. She continued to fire into the horde of Heretics that advanced toward her. Suddenly the autocannon roared and upstairs a loud crash of shattered stone sounded out.

Joan accessed her com. "Sister Tynea, report." There was more firing and another shell slammed into the dirt outside of the chapel and sent a spray of rubble and dirt. Joan turned to Aurea. "Sister Aurea, check upstairs for Sister Tynea." Joan said calmly as she raised her bolt pistol and aimed out of the window. "We will hold them here until you return."

Two Guardsmen rushed into the room just as Aurea advanced up the stairs. Half way up she saw a blood splash on the wall. She steeled her self resolve and rounded the corner. The center of the wall between the two windows had been blown in. The Guardsman was clutching his throat where blood was seeping out quickly. Aurea accessed her com.

"We need a medical officer, Sister Superior."

"Is Sister Tynea alive?" A mental twinge alerted her of Sister Geena's presence.

Aurea saw her helmet-less Sister laying against the wall with blood dripping out of her mouth. She had a large hunk of stone sticking out of her side. The autocannon thundered again and another part of the house was hit. Aurea knelt and tried to check her Sister's vitals. Tynea moaned out in pain and looked up at her. Her pretty oval face was spattered with blood and several long cuts disfigured her once pretty face and wept ruby blood heavily.

"She is alive but heavily wounded."

Tynea grasped Aurea's armored shoulder guard and moaned out to her. "P-please…! S-sister… please… Oh…" She panted and moaned as more blood dripped out of her open mouth as her eyes clenched shut and tears mixed with her blood. "Oh E-emperor! I-it... h-hurts!"

"Sister Aurea, is she capable of being saved?" Joan asked quietly. Down below Aurea could dimly hear the Sister Superior's bolter firing. She stared quietly at her dieing Sister.

Tynea let out a loud cry and leaned forward and grabbed Aurea's armor with her other hand and looked into Aurea's eyes. _Give her mercy…_A voice whispered, she could not tell if it was Geena or herself. Behind them the medic rushed up and began to drag the wounded trooper down the stairs. Tynea's tears ran down her bloody face. "W-why…? Oh… it hurts!" She gasped with wide tear filled eyes and began to choke. "Sister…! M-mercy!

Aurea stroked an uncut part of Sister Tynea's face such as a mother would do to a scared child. "Do you wish the Emperor's peace, Sister Tynea?"

The girl sobbed and Aurea felt what ever little 'good' feelings she had earlier die. Tynea shook and wept but her head nodded as more blood leaked out of her mouth. Tynea shook and wept but her head nodded. "Y-yes…"

Aurea stroked her blood clotted auburn hair gently s her insides froze and her heart felt dead and slack. She felt Geena almost protest as she un-holstered her bolt pistol. She did not want to kill her Sister, far from it. But she was too far gone. Or at least that's what Aurea told herself as she placed the bolt pistol against Tynea's heart. Tynea wept harder but began to stutter out a prayer through a blood filled throat. Aurea commended her soul as she stroked Tynea's hair and face soothingly and felt wetness touch her eyes.

"Let your soul travel fast to His heaven, Sister."

Tynea shook with sobs when the medic ran up stairs. He looked at them and suddenly rushed forward. "Stop! I can help her! I can-!"

The bolt pistol spoke and blood spattered against Aurea's breast plate. Tynea's young face, that was not so naïve or innocent appearing any more, stopped weeping and stared out into the night with dead glistening eyes. Aurea bowed her head and commended her Sister's soul to the Emperor and lowered her pistol. _Another dead Sister…_ this time slain by her own hand. She stood and walked past the gaping hole that had been a wall. _I am so tired... _She did not blink as las shots peppered the wall behind her, yet none touched her. _I killed her…_

The medic was staring at her from the stairs and he spoke shakily. "I could have saved her…"

"She desired the Emperor's peace." Aurea responded stonily.

"But-!"

Aurea suddenly yanked out her pistol and pointed it at his head. She saw Sister Geena laying in the mud and Tynea's wet eyes was all she could see. "Are you questioning an act of the Emperor?"

He raised his hands. "I'm sorry Sister! I was not questioning… I just think I could have saved her."

She slammed her pistol back into its holster and walked past the medic. "See to your wounded Trooper. Save the one who still clings to life." She said coldly. She had given Tynea the Emperor's peace yet she felt guilty. _Let her soul travel fast._ She mentally whispered to herself.

_You are not used to showing mercy are you Sister? _Geena had returned and had asked the question gently.

Inside her helmet Aurea felt a tear touch her covered cheek and stick the metal of the helmet. _I am so sorry, Sister Geena._

_Sister Lea once told me, when I was alive, that you hardly blinked at killing. That you were always the dangerous one of the Squad and had executed a rebel leader as others argued that they should interrogate him._ Aurea remembered shooting the Guardsman on another planet during another war. She had been brutal and had told the others that the man was a Traitor to humankind. He had been a rebel fighting because the Governor had been a tyrant, words of him stealing the lower and middle class wives and passing them around the rich men of his court like a common harlot. She had gone and shot a man who most likely had worshiped the Emperor and only wished for a change from the fascism he had lived in. There could be no rebellion.

_You were always the first to pull the trigger and deliver death. I always looked up to you, Sister Aurea. And now that you have shown mercy I accept your apology and realize how human you really are. _She had never shown mercy. Her treatment of the heretic early that night was standard. Her body felt exhausted and she had to stubbornly force her feet forward.

_I am so sorry…_ Aurea thought again. And she was. The guilt threatened to eat her alive as she reviewed all whom she had killed.

_Don't apologize again Sister. That is done; we have a war to fight and Sister Tynea is gone but you shall fight for my memory, hers, and above all the Emperor. _She was silent for a moment. _You are strong Sister remain stalwart. _Geena was gone.

She entered the room below and saw Tordaes and the two other Guardsmen firing into the squads of heretics that hid in craters outside. Sister Superior Joan saw her and called out to her.

"Where is Sister Tynea."

"The Emperor has taken back his Daughter." She reported in a dead voice as the medic went to the wounded man on the floor and began to tend him. She stepped around him and raised her bolter and took her place at Sister Joan's side.

Joan growled. "They have murdered too many of my squad." She bowed her head and quickly murmured a prayer for her fallen Sister. She looked up and began to carefully shoot the heretics in the craters.

Aurea fired her weapon and watched men die. They beat back every wave. None of the heretics ever getting closer than fifty feet from the stone chapel in their mad charges. Their bodies were scattered and bled heavily into the dirt. Aurea continued her firing and stared into their howling faces as they died.

It was finally over. A break in the fighting left all exhausted, all except for Harror and Joan, but all had to maintain a vigil. Aurea let Tordaes catch some sleep and stared out of the window as dawn approached. She saw in the dim growing light the corpses of the dead, their faces twisted in their final agonizing moments. She was so tired. She stared into the battlefield and she did not see the dead heretics. She saw Sister Geena laying on her side, the mud sinking into the creases of her armor as her blood shined. She could hear Sister Tynea's pleas for mercy within her head and saw blood tears course down the young girl's face. She prayed. She did not know what else she could do.

She stared at the dead and prayed.

-

Chapter 3 done! *high fives self* You have _no_ idea how hard this chapter was to write. I certainly hope this is enjoyable for you all to read because I've shirked eating all day to finish it.

Well I was an idiot and had to throw a romance complex into the story. (Just when a talking dead woman saying cheesy lines was at its peak I add some heart related stuff) I am curious how it will turn out; though I know my writing style and I think I already have an idea. But I'm not telling you.

I have introduced our Traitor caste and now we (Hey, I'm right there with you in wondering just where the hell this is going) shall see how this turns out.

I really tried to expand Sister Superior Joan's character in this chapter. She is possibly one of my favorite characters as of yet.

I have the start for chapter 4 written but it could be awhile before I get to it. But never fear, more of my corny story will be posted as soon as possible.

-J


	4. Chapter 4

_I do not own Warhammer 40,000 nor do I hold any rights to this. I am not making a profit off of my terrible writing so don't get out the cabinet of daemonic lawyers quite yet._

**Chapter 4- Decent of the Sinner**

It was not long until the dawn came upon Port Sanctuary the attacks all but ceased upon the small ruined building. The defenders within stood grimly as the last of the traitor guardsmen stopped moving. All watched the surrounding square with tired eyes; all except that is, for Sister Superior Joan. She strode in her curved baroque power armor with her blade drawn and a warm word of support and praise to both her Sisters and the Sergeant Harror's men. All watched the coffee haired woman fondly and protectively where ever she went. All tried to imitate her vigor, few even remotely matched the beautiful Sister's potent resolve.

Aurea breathed out a sigh of relief as the wounded Grenadier that had been Sister Tynea's other took up a position numbly at the large shattered window that had once been solid stone. Tordaes kept glancing at her when ever he thought her not looking, perhaps he was concerned? Even then, Aurea did not dwell upon it. The thought of the faceless Sister that Sister Joan had described being punished for her-vices-and the natural results of such desires made her cold to the core. Still the mental twinge of Sister Geena seemed to break her cold concentration and prayers to notice the man's concerned glances.

To ignore his latest glance she looked out into the charnel house that was the square. The bodies of close to a full company lay bleeding into the rubble strewn cobble stones. They had been hardly dangerous despite several losses. Even the autocannon had been drawn back. Why they had done this when they clearly had the numbers and the weaponry to effortlessly overrun the tiny force of Imperial soldiers. Aurea saw the horizon begin to turn orange as dawn broke through the gray clouds that hung over Port Sanctuary like a heavy blanket. She smiled as the sun crested and began it's golden ascent into the sky, it appeared the Emperor was pleased with the Sisters.

The sunlight shone through the shattered, yet still noble, arched gothic windows of the large church and the squad as one took knee on what ever they stood for all knew what they must say at this moment. Knee pads zealously hit mud, shattered cement, and broken stone in one sudden movement. Weapons met with the ground in time with their knees; pommels, bolters, and meltagun faced the beautiful sunrise in a reverent show of devotion. Each Sororitas bowed her head whether it was armored or uncovered to be touched by a faint breeze that stirred the hair to their weapon; and as one they spoke.

"Praise the God-Emperor, our Father and Savior. For He shines His radiant light upon us this morn so that our spirits be lifted and our souls strengthened with resolve. Hail the Emperor! Thank the Emperor, our Father, for with this sunrise for He lights His enemies for our Holy Fury to purify and punish! Love the Emperor for He has granted us the sight to cast down his foes! And if we fall today, we fall into His arms and we shall know happiness in the fulfillment of our duty! With this sunrise the Emperor deliver us our holy duty! In the Emperor's name."

Through out the sermon their voices had rose in volume until they were near shouting but on their final line all fell to a hushed tone of reverence and immediately upon finish, fell silent. The wind blew around the Sororitas as each opened her eyes from prayer prepared and eager to meet the Heretics that day. The morning hymn never failed to invigorate Aurea or any of the others, especially when the Emperor directed them to the Heretics they must fight.

Aurea felt Geena's… _fondness_ in a wave of emotion. The bond had only grown by leaps and bounds through the night and Geena seemed to constantly watch Aurea. She smiled within her helmet even as the memories of Geena's corpse and Tynea's glistening eyes flashed through her head. The dawn had come and reinforcements had been requested. Aurea fully felt satisfaction that the foe would be crushed this day.

The heavy guttural rumblings of well managed engines and the trundle of tank treads brought her attention to their left flank. Both she and Tordaes looked to the flank hopefully, with reinforcements they could leave the death trap that the church provided. Geena flickered again.

_Sister, I sense the darkness…it is… it is reaching for something. For…_ her voice cut off and Aurea scanned her mind for the spirit. It was no where to be found and she shivered. The darkness was reaching? What in the Emperor's name could that mean? Was she slipping farther into the madness that she was sure was beginning to grip her psyche? She heard a slight laugh and glanced at Tordaes.

His armored form was waving out of one of the windows, a very foolish action in Aurea's opinion since the enemy _could_ have sharp shooters sitting out among the dead. He turned back to her and motioned as his voice crackled to her.

"Our reinforcements are here, including a bunch of your Sisters." He said happily. "Probably a full platoon of the 86th with the support of another Rhino full of yours."

She nodded in agreement, though she knew it was probably by mere chance that a full platoon had been split off from the battle line to support them here. The thunder of distance shells brought her attention back to the window just as Sister Joan crackled in her helmet.

"Sisters, a full squad of Celestians has joined us. You will follow their orders as if they were my own if they speak to you." Aurea's eyes widened within her helmet. A squad of Celestians should have been in the thickest of fighting, not a small strong point. Two Sisters in helmets she did not know stalked into the room and went above to the landing where she had ended Tynea's young life. They had hardly glanced at the Tordaes and herself, their movements had been fluid and the bright white helmets showed their elitism and title of Celestians.

The Sister who followed them made Aurea's insides turn to ice. The Sharp nosed Celestian that had punished Lea looked at her coolly. Her eyes echoed their arrogance yet her features were the definition of serene. She smiled as she found Aurea and the ice in her stomach turned fiery. The Celestian strode forward.

"I have heard a very disturbing rumor, Sister." She said tightly. She had not even remotely glanced at Tordaes, who appeared to be trying to will himself invisible, since entering the room. Aurea faced the Sister and bowed her head.

"I do not know what you speak of, Sister." She replied calmly.

The woman smiled. It lacked mirth and her eyes glittered as she stared at Aurea. "You haven't heard it? Then let me tell you." Her tone become conversational and light, but her eyes remained colder than ice. "I over heard from your blasphemous Sister that you seem to be having an eye for men." She smiled again. "I hope you are prepared for a penance that will set you screaming, _Sister._" She spoke the word with such mock respect that Aurea felt the urge to strike the gray haired Celestian.

Tordaes suddenly shook his head. "Excuse me, Sister. But Sister Aurea here has not done anything wrong. In fact she has shown more bravery than any this past night." He bowed his head slowly. "She even was forced to give the Emperor's Peace to one of her fellow Sisters when the foe maimed her beyond any healing we could supply." He said regrettably.

The Celestian glanced at the man and sneered. "I have done such acts and given such gifts many times, Trooper. It is only within her duty. It does not require the stroking of ego."

Aurea saw the glistening eyes of Tynea again and shuddered. _Why? _Tynea whispered in her head. Aurea nearly shuddered and hopelessly wished Geena were there to comfort her. The Celestian turned around from the silent Grenadier and smiled once more.

"I will volunteer to coerce the sin out of you, Sister." She said warmly. Aurea did not know what she had done to personally anger the grey haired Sister but she knew that she would very likely die under the Celestian's hand.

She swallowed and bowed her head once more. "I accept any penance placed upon me by my Sisters." Where was Geena!

The Celestian nodded with hungry satisfaction. "Yes you will, _Sister_." She said with a sneer in her words and turned on her booted heel and strode out of the room. Aurea watched her go and knew that Lea could have been muttering to herself but it was very likely the Celestian had found her and had _extracted_ the information. Aurea suddenly had the strong urge to find her friend and make sure she was still breathing.

Tordaes let out a shout but the sudden explosion that threw Aurea against the wall and dropped her armored form to the floor. Shouts echoed within her helmet as she shakily stood and saw Tordaes dragging himself over to her while clutching his leg. Smoke filled the air and the sounds of gunfire and dropping shells and the chatter of weapon fire filled her ears.

"Aurea!" Tordaes shouted as he grabbed her armored shoulders and dragged her up. Another volley of explosives suddenly rained down upon the church and Aurea could hear men scream. Tordaes grunted in pain as he threw himself atop her and the floor bounced. She saw his blood suddenly spatter her visor as his wet gloved hand touched it.

"Are you alive?" He muttered with sadness. "Emperor, don't take this one. Not yet." The words warmed Aurea and stole the chill the Celestian had left her with. She rolled him off of her gently and crouched in front of him and raised her bolter. She smiled within her helmet-damn what the grey haired Sister had to say-Tordaes had suddenly given her sentiment and it was not unejoyable. If she was to die in penance for her feelings then she would. But the man's words of concern were touching and that was all that mattered.

"Grab your gun, can you walk?" She asked.

He found his gun near him and both watched a two dozen Traitor Guardsmen rush up towards the hole in the wall. Tordaes hefted him self to a knee with a pained grunt just as Aurea squeezed her trigger. Two heretics fell to the ground in sprays of blood and bone as her shots found their deadly marks. Tordaes laughed.

"Sister Aurea, you must have the Emperor's luck and hand upon you! That blast should have torn you to pieces!"

That was when Aurea noticed the wall where she and Tordaes had been standing was nothing but rubble and fallen. The shell that had been meant to terminate the room should have killed her. It was a pure miracle that she was alive. She refocused on the battle just as two of the heretics rushed the gap in the building. She shot them down and ten more replaced them Aurea was about to shout for reinforcements just as Sister Superior Joan rushed into the room. The dark eyed woman shot a man who stumbled into the gap with a precise shot and shouted over the radio.

"Sisters! To me! The foe approaches! To me, Sisters!" She saw where Aurea knelt on the floor firing and smiled. "Sister Aurea, stand next to me and let us bring the Emperors justice to the Great Traitor."

Aurea was inspired with a warm budding sensation within her breast and nodded. With Joan at their lead they would never falter or fail. Lea and Dianna rushed into the room snarling. Aurea stood and moved into the gap at the right hand of Joan. What she saw caused a holy anger to suddenly leap into her gut. The square was filled with heretics and drifting among them were no less than twelve Traitor Astartes. The servants of Chaos marched on them some howling in glee but the Astartes only thundered forward.

"Sisters!" Joan shouted as Tordaes fired into the crowd that descended upon them. "Purify the heretic! Purge the Traitor!"

The thunder from the all the weapons within the house going off was deafening. Large hulking traitors with tattoos twisting up their bodies fell in a great collapse as heavy weapon fire tore them to pieces. The left flank was secured by the platoon of Imperial Guard and their heavy weapons were creating piles of dead. But the horde continued to push across the torn soil and march over their fallen and wounded eagerly and unheeding of the wounded who were trampled to death.

Tordaes shouted a curse and a heretic fell. The horde was upon them, they had felled a dozen, two dozen, but it did not reduce the mob of frothing heretics that chanted for their blood. Aurea shot her bolter until the clip was empty and saw the massive armored form of a Traitor Astartes suddenly break out of the mob and lead the charge upon them. His dark blue power armor bore bronze working and an eight pointed star of Chao upon his chest. His shoulder pad bore nothing but a skull with fangs on a twisting purple background and he raised a chainsword and pointed at the Sororitas and the heretics and cultists rushed forward at his command. Joan raised her blade and shouted as clear as if she were an angel sent from the heavens.

"For the Emperor!"

Guns were dropped and the ancient blade that had hung so faithfully within its scabbard on Aurea's side slid out with an eager hiss. Her pistol raised and she shot a heretic through the chest in a splatter of gore and bone. She smiled. Penance would not claim her life. Only battle would.

-

Rhodar slaughtered Guardsmen as if they were children. Not that they were much more than such to one such as he. His blade screamed in pleasure as it tore souls from men's bodies with each body ruining swing, the daemon within the sword moaned and cried for more. Rhodar smiled. He would give the daemon a feast. His radio crackled.

"My Lord, the Imperial whores are holding off our attack at the building."

Rhodar kicked a man in the chest and the soldier tumbled over the ground his organs and bones pulverized by the mighty blow. He turned around as his two guards took up defending positions around him.

"What of our Sorceress? Is she prepared to summon our prize?"

Men screamed around him, high and shrill their cries were as his four Shadow Lords butchered them eagerly. He had only been testing the strength and will of the Imperial toys within the church and upon the deduction that they could hold against most of the cultists with out taking heavy casualties he had brought out his small warband of Shadow Lords. The mere twenty two marines was a pitiful amount to call a warband. But the fact was the World Eaters had slaughtered most of his men. Rhodar growled in impatience as the Sergeant failed to respond.

"Well?" he growled out finally.

"My Lord, she says there is some kind of interference. She says it is as if there is another fighting the Daemon and distracting it from it's summoning."

Rhodar spat and cut his tongue on his fang-like teeth. "I will come to you. Tell our little witch to prepare to summon allies. I want this church taken as soon as possible." He turned to his squad and motioned. "End this play and follow me."

Rhodar smiled as he threw one of the cultists out of his way. The little witch Laufeia would bring him victory and none of his men would need to die.

-

Laufeia L'Amia watched Lord Rhodar charge into the fighting that crowded the church and smiled as one of her guards moved up next to her. The massive armored man was one of two personal guards from the Shadow Lords and both stood at her flanks resembling terrifying guardians of their dark mistress. Lord Rhodar wanted daemons. He wanted _the_ daemon. She knew that was the only possible answer for the massive psychic pull to the church. It hungered and it pulled for _her_. But someone, an Imperial psyker perhaps, was resisting it's will to be released.

Laufeia was furious over the interference of the rotting god's servants but she smiled for the daemon wanted _her_ not Rhodar. It was almost too good to be true.

-

"There is only the Emperor and He is our shield and Protector!"

The squad shouted their prayers to the Emperor as Herror's men rushed into the fray. It was intense and heretics fell to the squad in great droves and piled up only to be dragged away by eager traitors seeking death. Herror's men may have been slightly late but the four Grenadiers were badly needed. Tordaes fought next to Joan with a looted axe and was defending the beloved Sister's side. Aurea had her right and could often see Joan's face smiling as she slaughtered men and was joined by the two Celestians that had gone upstairs. They fought next to her and followed her commands. Celestians! Joan only took it in stride and continued to fight.

Aurea fought and killed passionately and threw herself against whole squads that tried to take the holy church. She would not die by the Celestian's hand. If the feelings within her breast were correct her feelings for Tordaes, especially after his words, were growing quickly and she was certain it was not Geena's doing. She would not die as punishment for affection, she would die in battle. She would fall smiling, not weeping.

A Traitor Astartes cut down heretic guardsmen to get to the Imperial soldiers. His face was angular and handsome but was twisted by a lustful snarl that contained pointed fang teeth. He laughed maliciously as he cut a Grenadier in two and smiled. His serrated teeth glistened and another Astartes moved up next to him. Joan and the Celestians charged them with out question. The Sororitas lived to fight the Foe. The marine guard of the mighty Traitor leapt forward and Joan was quickly engaged as the two Celestians fought the laughing giant.

The fight was brutal and the lord laughed as he beheaded one Sister and grunted as the second rammed her bolter into his chest and fired. He did not fall. His guard was not as lucky. Joan was cold faced as her blade worked on the giant man in front of her and it was not long until she had brought him to one mighty knee with a dozen bloody wounds seeping blood down his armor. He stared at her and she smiled as she rammed her blade through the Traitors neck. The Lord had tossed the second Sister away and swung his blade at Sister Superior Joan's head. Aurea yelled. Joan ducked.

The mighty blade passed mere centimeters over her head and buried deeply into the already dead marine. Joan tumbled backwards as the return swipe cut through the spot she had been ducking at. Her blade was gone and she faced the grinning lord defiant of her fate. He swung and suddenly screamed as his arm melted into slag and his flesh burnt and his chest plate began to whine under the pressure of the attack. The lord fell back and Lea let out a loud prayer as she lowered her smoking meltagun and moved to Sister Joan's side with a grim air. Joan once more took it in stride, she appeared out of place in the bloody melee around her in her serenity, and removed her blade from the dead Astartes and led another charge with each of her Sisters prayers chanting on their lips.

Aurea wanted to laugh as she gutted another man. Sister Joan was defiant at the face of death and not once faltered in her deadly dance. Aurea fought next to her Sister eagerly. With Joan at their lead they would die murdering the Foe and laughing all the while.

"Sisters! For the Emperor!" Joan shouted. It was as if they were in a ballad. Only in reality friends died and Aurea was reminded of this brutally.

Dianna suddenly let out a scream and Aurea spun around, Dianna had been guarding her flank. The massive Traitor had smashed _through_ the wall and was holding the struggling Sister up by an arm. Aurea rushed forward and rammed her blade through a heretic who was unlucky enough to be caught in her righteous path. Dianna was struggling as two shots ricocheted off of the heavy armor of the Traitor and Joan yelled from the melee behind Aurea. The raven haired woman shoved her combat knife into his fist and the giant rammed his chainsword into Dianna's stomach in response to the desperate attack.

"Dianna!" Aurea screamed as her path cleared of living foes and she watched her Sister's body be eviscerated.

Dianna screamed as the blades tore into her armor and ate through it with out resistance. Her blood sprayed on the dark cerulean armor of the traitor as she died. Her legs kicked futilely as her fate was sealed and the sword ate through her breast, spine, heart, and ripped through her left shoulder in a spray of gore. Her screams were gone and the giant tossed her corpse aside.

His skull-like helmet stared at her coldly. Aurea was panting as Dianna joined Geena and Tynea in her mind. Aurea's mind was blank as a rage touched her unlike any fervor or anger. It blinded her and brought a scream from deep within her throat. She charged the giant and felt him swat at her and rebound. His blade had not cut the armor, another impossible chance. Perhaps the Emperor was watching her.

She pointed her pistol at him and her shot blew a bloody hole in his abdomen. He swung at her uncaring of neither his wound nor the life blood that seeped down his deep azure armor. Aurea ducked and rolled over fallen soldiers and came up just as the Traitor slammed his foot into her stomach. Her still tender ribs snapped and she screamed as she tumbled into the legs of several heretics. Blows rang on her as she was tossed around and lost her blade in the painful blur of the assault upon her. A man tried to stab her but fell in half atop her she found her blade under the bottom half of the man and gripped the hilt eagerly. She painfully shoved herself to kneel on the dead and saw the massive Traitor throw another tattooed heretic away from her. He was intent on having her death be his.

She snapped her blade out in a lightning fast attack at the knee joint. The chain sword fell towards her just as she felt the power sword cut through ancient power armor and eat hungrily through the mortal flesh held within. The giant dropped to a knee and the sword sheared a heretic in half behind her. Aurea raised her pistol and craned her neck up to see his helmet even kneeling he towered over her small form. Aurea did not blink or falter, she only uttered a prayer to the Emperor and squeezed the trigger.

The helmet exploded and half of the giant's head was gone in a spray of blood, armor, and bone. He tumbled over and she dragged herself to her feet. She had killed several Traitor Astartes in her life, but never in the gore spattered fervor of hand-to-hand combat. Aurea saw Sister Joan approach her. Joan smiled.

"Sister Aurea, you are blessed this day. Those attacks the Traitor dealt you would have cut any of us to pieces." She saw Dianna's body and sighed sadly. "May the Emperor welcome her to his heaven." Joan turned her coffee colored eyes upon the recovering heretics that had retreated. "Sisters." She spoke quietly but each heard and heeded her. "Slay them all. No mercy, no prisoners_. Slaughter_ them all."

Aurea was in pain but she turned eagerly and began to stalk towards the heretics. Her mind suddenly quaked and Geena was within her. The sudden mental intrusion forced her to lean heavily into the stone wall. Tordaes was moving forward with two other Grenadiers as Joan spoke but Aurea could not hear words. The shining light that was within her head was shutting her off from the physical world.

_Sister! The darkness wants us!_ Geena screamed. Or seemed to scream, the urgency was emotion and the volume was causing Aurea's blood to vibrate within her veins and her breaths to come short and fast. _You are a psyker! Or at least have a trace of the Emperor's power within you!_ Geena screamed.

_I do not and am not! _Aurea replied in terror. She could feel sudden tears on her cheeks. She would shoot herself and end her existence this moment if it were true. The thought of her being a psyker caused her to drop to her knees and start muttering prayers the battle utterly forgot. She did not notice as Tordaes grabbed her and started shouting for help.

_You are, Aurea! It is drawing the darkness!_ Geena screamed. _Fight it! Emperor, save our souls!_

_I am not!_ She screamed within the ethereal hallways of her mind. _How can I be! I was tested! I never was!_

Geena was panicked and gripped in horror as she spoke again. _You were not before. I believe it was at the death of Tynea. Oh, Emperor, save us! _She cried. _It comes! I cannot fight it any more!_

_I am not…_ Aurea whispered. _Not me… I have served faithfully. I have murdered faithfully!_

Strong hands yanked off her helmet as her body twisted and fought at the handling. She saw bright sunlight and blinked away tears as Sister Joan, Sister Lea, and Trooper Tordaes struggled and shouted at her. Only she could not hear their words as her mind was busy screaming and drowned out all other noise. Something roared at her and she watched one of the Grenadiers topple backwards in a spray of life blood as the dark blue armored Astartes smashed into them.

_Sister! _Geena cried as Lea was tossed out of Aurea's sight. _Fight it! Please! Only you can! _Aurea wanted to scream for her as Geena begged within her head. She wanted to see the platinum haired woman's scarred smile once more. Joan stabbed a blue armored warrior in the throat and suddenly she was yanked screaming into the midst of the enemy. Tordaes fought above her, his heavy las pistol blasting.

Geena was weeping and wailing as another presence suddenly intruded upon her and ripped her attention away from the battle in front of her. This new imposition made her eyes roll into her head and the sight of her comrades fighting was taken by darkness as a new foe dominated her mind wickedly. Geena screamed and a massive grasping shadow tore at her armored form and looked down upon both Geena and Aurea hungrily. The darkness smiled at her.

-

Laufeia L'Amia tumbled to the churned ground as a mental presence like none she had felt before bombarded her. The single Shadow Lord marine rushed forward and gathered her into his massive armored arms. Even as she convulsed in his arms a sudden thought occurred to her. The marine was supposed to be a watchful eye upon her. But he and the only other marine that was present in her company had begun to follow her reverently. Almost as if they trusted her above even the arrogant bastard Rhodar.

Her thoughts were broken as she her hand shot out towards the Imperial position as the psychic beacon roared to her and an unseen presence grabbed at her while fighting. It fought and she could hear a woman screaming tortured wails of one in agony. Laufeia L'Amia choked on her saliva as her second guard stood in front of her protectively.

"It comes!" She screamed and leaned up as a full squad of Shadow Lords surrounded her. Her guard placed her on the ground where she looked about manically. The cry of the daemon was mighty and she wanted to laugh, weep, and bask in its maddening roar as its power and spirit dripped into her maddeningly slow. Laufeia did not wait stand still, she grasped her mighty staff and led her two guards and the squad into the retreating fray of cultist scum as she fought to find the daemon. She raised her hand and black hooked grasping tendrils shot from her palm and tore a bloody path in front of her through the cultists. The fools who would not move out of her way would die.

She found Rhodar heavily wounded and she smiled as the daemon whispered faintly to her as another drop of it fell into her being.

"Why do you smile, Witch!" He growled at her. "Heal me! Gift me my prize! I know you sense it! Do not lie to me, whore!" He screamed and spittle and blood dribbled down his chin. He was maimed and ruined, a wreck of a once mighty warlord. His guards watched her carefully as they weighed her prowess and worth. Laufeia smiled and stalked forward, she would show them just what she was worth.

"Heal you?" She asked sweetly. "Bestow the daemon's spirit upon you?" She let out a dark laugh and felt her body quake as the maniacal mirth shook her willowy frame. "You will receive neither. Your time is finished, so speaks your _prize_." She said wickedly.

Rhodar howled and tried to lunge forward and tumbled to the bloody ground in his fury. "Murder her!" He screamed at his warriors. "Slay her! For your Lord kill the bitch!"

The Shadow Lords watched silently. Laufeia's smile widened and she stepped forward; her two guards flanked her as she moved. "They are mine now. And you," She extended her hand and the psychic voice laughed, "shall die."

Rhodar screamed in rage as the tentacles shot from Laufeia's palm and wrapped around him. Ancient armor creaked and groaned as the claws crushed him. Blood sprayed as the tentacles ruptured the armor. Rhodar now screamed in agony as the daemonic attack tore his body to pieces. His ruby blood wetted the already torn ground further and his armor became mangled and crushed. Another flow of the daemon and the Sorceress felt the daemon praise her. Rhodar's screams ended as the tentacles drank up flesh and blood and fed the material as digested warp energies into Laufeia. Laufeia smiled as she felt her powers expand and mutate with the daemon's influence. She looked up from the bloody ruin that was once Lord Rhogar and all the gathered Shadow Lords knelt to her. Laufeia looked up to the church and heard the screams and smiled.

"Bring me the one who screams, my warriors."

The daemon laughed and the screams of the dead were washed away as the wind rushed through the battlefield. The Shadow Lords fell upon the Imperial defenders and did not strike to kill the defenders. They struck to take a single prisoner. Laufeia L'Amia smiled as they brought back a black armored Sororitas. She smiled even wider when she felt the massive amount of psychic potential within her as she kicked and screamed in the massive arms of her captors as she battled the daemon. The Sororita possessed half of the daemon, it corrected. It would require the Sisters death to bestow it's full might upon its chosen champion. Laufeia smiled and led the procession of Astartes away from the church.

_What do I call you, mighty one?_ She asked the daemon reverently.

The daemon's voice thundered in Laufeia L'Amia's mind and she nearly fainted from the raw power it emitted.

_I am, Adur'Sharak, Greater Daemon Prince of the Chaos Gods! Slay the mortal and I shall gift myself unto you, Sorceress. Set me free and I shall give you unlimited power._

Laufeia's smiled deepened.

-

Well! It has been awhile, but then again I have been busy and dealing with many issues. This was an incredibly fun chapter to write and I hope you enjoyed it. Once more I continued the OOCness of the story and even expanded it. Chapter 5 will be getting some work done on it this week.

Until Aurea returns, see you soon.

-J.


	5. Chapter 5

_I do not hold the rights to Warhammer 40,000, nor am I making a profit from my literary disaster of a story._

**Chapter 5- ****Martyrium of Sino**

Adur'Sharak had waited many thousands of years for one such as the sorceress to arrive. She was powerful, with him she would be unstoppable; she was cruel, with his influence she would gain from her sport; she was ambitious, with him at her side she would rule the galaxy. Adur'Sharak watched the proud mortal stride through the fallen that wetted the soil of his tomb. Yes, she would be a perfect ally.

A mental blow brushed his being and Adur'Sharak spun in the nether to find the one who fought him. There was a psychic spirit of sorts that had held him from the one who bled power like skewered pig, it was not she though. Could the rotting God's little champion have finally awakened? It was not likely.

Adur'Sharak re-entered the mind of the one he attacked. Had she been more malleable he would have eagerly chosen her over the sorceress Laufeia. They darted fleetingly as a sub conscious part of his being chased and attacked them. How the spirit had become stuck with the powerful mortal was truly beyond Adur'Sharak. And her own warp attacks had stung and irritated him to no end. Had she not been there he would have crushed the powerful mortal instantly and have been released.

They were trapped as he brought his full bulk into the nether that made up the mortal's psyche. He smiled and hundreds of fang filled mouths glittered and giggled and drooled. She was certainly impressive, she was weeping and screaming as she fought the claws and tentacles that Adur'Sharak ensnared her with. The other, Sister Geena, he had deducted, another mortal who had wetted his tomb with her blood, was wailing as the claws tore at her and yanked her up to Adur'Sharak. She was impressive for a mere spirit; perhaps the unconscious psyker had summoned her? It was quite likely. He had seen mortals do many amazing things through the eons of time.

How long had it been since he had been imprisoned within this world? Time and years had faded into a thick water colored mirage of images and pain and hungering and vengeance. Adur'Sharak had intimidated the Greater Gods and as punishment all four had bound him to this wretched rock that hurtled through the vastness of space and time serving as a prison for his might. He looked at Geena who wept and some of his maws snapped at her. Through the death of the other, the one who so irritatingly fought back, would Adur'Sharak be set free to smite the Gods and rise back into power.

Another stinging attack came from the mortal. Adur'Sharak glanced down irritably and for a rare moment felt the slightest sensation of surprise. The mortal had-conjured was the only way to describe it-a shining blade and was hacking at the claws and tendrils that grabbed at her. The impudent mortal hacked one and the delightful sensation of the dieing limb filled Adur'Sharak to his center. The arrogant speck would die for her defiance, no one defied him. He roared, the mortal tumbled into the nether and he flew after her his claws twisting and grasping for her. Adur'Sharak smiled as Geena began to pray loudly, no god would save the mortal nor the spirit. His maws roared once more and he chased after the darting image of the psyker.

-

Laufeia L'Amia led the retreat of the Shadow Lords and what little remained of the cultists. The cultists followed eagerly, they seemed utterly oblivious to the fact that the Shadow Lords had slaughtered an equal number of them as the Imperials had in their rush for battle.

She heard another long moan and muttered prayers behind her and smiled. Soon… very soon she would be immortal and the power of a mighty daemon would be gifted to her. Another prayer was choked out through a sob and an apology to someone named Geena. Laufeia wanted to strike the Sororita, partially for her weakness also to hear the woman moan in horror once more.

They had left the church behind them, Adur'Sharak was carried by she and the Sister now, and now hurried through rubble strewn streets. The daemon whispered to her to find a suitable summoning area and she knew exactly where she would go. The Square of Venerable Saints was farther away than she would have liked but it was only a matter of time before she had the daemon. A little while longer would not matter.

The Shadow Lords followed their mistress diligently and kept a firm circle of muscle and iron around her. How her warriors loved her! The daemon laughed and told her that with his help she would bring every single one of the Chaos Legions under her hand. The mere thought of such power made her shiver in anticipation. She would become immortal and conquer the galaxy. Laufeia wanted to laugh, she would become the Empress.

It was not long before they came upon the Square of Venerable Saints. Statues of Imperial heroes of old sat atop stone pillars that surrounded the square and at the center a mighty statue of power armored being with flowing long hair and a laurel crown upon his brow stood twenty feet high atop a raised center. The daemon laughed and said the rotting god had hardly spent more than an hour on the planet. Yet the Imperial fools took any such attentions as signs of hope, foolish hope.

Laufeia motioned to one of her body guards, the one who had picked her up, and gave out orders to setup defenses around the raised interior of the Square of Venerable Saints. She motioned for the Sororita to be placed upon the steps below the statue of the False Emperor. The woman was dropped heavily and she looked up at the statue and wept openly. She was pretty Laufeia thought. Snow white hair came to her chin and her icy blue eyes contrasted amazingly with her alabaster skin. She did not have her weapons, that would have been plainly foolish to have, but she seemed to think that her prayers would save her. Laufeia laughed and turned away from the praying Sister. It was beginning.

-

Sister Superior Joan shoved her self up from the crush of bodies with a painful grunt. Her torso was scored with dents from attacks and the arm of the Astartes that had yanked her into their midst was still in her hand where she had removed it. Dropping the limb Joan looked about wildly for any of her Sisters. Bodies were thick in the large room. She could see one of the Celestian corpses smashed into the wall among the bodies of fallen heretics. A moan sounded out and a body tumbled and Sister Lea sat up with a grimace. Joan looked about hurriedly as the replay of the battle flashed through her head. They had taken Aurea. Dear Aurea…

Lea crawled over to her and let out a ragged breath. "Sister Joan… we lost her…?" Her eyes shimmered with tears. "W-we… I l-lost my s-sister…" Joan sighed and found the hilt of her sword buried in the chest of a heretic next to her and used it to bring herself to her feet. Lea looked apt to break down and weep. Joan would not let herself be defeated so easily. Aurea would not let herself be cowed by such turn of events.

"Come, Sister, we will find whom we can and go retrieve our Sister." Joan said and her voice rasped. Just how much had she been yelling?

A loud grunt and a curse came from outside of the room and Trooper Tordaes stumbled in. His armor was bloody and he carried his helmet in one hand. He certainly was handsome, Joan thought. Aurea did not have bad taste in men what so ever. She immediately banished the thought and uttered a prayer of forgiveness. Toradaes came to them through the blood and bodies bearing his rifle. His hazel eyes looked haunted and grim.

"Well? Are we going to go find her?" He demanded.

Joan arched an eyebrow at him. "Why do you care, private?"

Toradeas let out a tired exasperated laugh. "Need you even ask? Even if I can't touch her, I can still have feelings for her. I will not let her die out there." His eyes echoed the promise. The man was looking suicidal and would most likely fight hordes of daemons to reach the snowy haired Sister. Joan wanted to smile, how she wished the hard lived and strong Aurea could enjoy the pleasures of this man. Joan herself had known several lovers and loved both men and women, for the Emperor did not raise one over the other. And had served penances for her actions that had brought her to states of near death each time.

A shout from behind them brought all three looking tiredly over their shoulders.

Sister Hera, her dark skin blood stained and grimy, was rushing forward followed by Kierra. Joan nearly smiled, some of her squad were still alive. A pitiful amount and they had lost Aurea… the strongest of them; the most faithful and devout; the most willing to kill in the Emperor's name. Hera reached her and soon Herror and the medic of the Grenadier squad followed with the gray haired Celestian, whom had dried blood streaked down her cheek from a cut. Or Sister Pheana, a very, _very_, unpleasant woman even for the Ordo Hereticus.

Herror approached her his dark eyes were exhausted and dirt was crusted on his face. He looked around and sighed before turning back to her. "We are all that is left."

She nodded. Joan was not surprised, the platoon to their left flank had been struck directly by the main force of Traitor Astartes, very few warriors could take such power. She examined Sister Hera. The young woman was grim faced and clutched her bolter as if it were the only thing keeping her standing. If she survived the day she would make a fine Sister, possibly another Aurea. Joan turned back to the opening and searched around for her bolt pistol. All watched her silently, even Sister Pheana; all waited upon her word. She felt the encroaching exhaustion that she had felt for a week creep up upon her but shoved it away, would Aurea show such weakness? Finding her pistol by the fallen Astartes that she had killed she stood and turned back to the gathered soldiers who watched her expectantly.

The words that Canoness Camilla had told her upon their return to the Imperial forces echoed in her head as she viewed their faces. _I wish for you to become Celestian. The Order wishes it. You have denied all promotions, content to remain a Sister Superior. You were born for command, Sister Joan. Do not waste such a gift._

Joan nearly sighed, Duty was heavier than a mountain. "We go to find Sister Aurea. Gather ammunition and tend your wounds, we leave immediately." Hera darted from the room in search of ammunition. The others began to tend wounds, all except Pheana. She watched Joan with sharp eyes.

Sister Pheana snorted finally and all looked up at her. "You mean the blasphemous one?" Kierra openly glared at the older woman her scarred face echoing her dark thoughts as Herror tended a gunshot to her leg. "It is the will of the Emperor that one so weak should be slain." Pheana said roughly.

Joan looked at her calmly. How she wanted to scream at the woman. To strike her. Of course she would not. The Celestian held rank over her. Joan smiled. "Sister Celestian, our Battle Sister means a great deal to us. We will not let the Traitors take her and corrupt her."

Tordaes was loading his weapon and the medic and Lea had bound his leg and tended several other small minor wounds. He muttered to himself but Joan could not hear his words. Herror stepped forward his unshaven face grim if determined as he finished with Kierra.

"We are with you, Sister Joan. Those bastards will rue the day they were born by the time we are finished." He said firmly, his exhaustion seemed to be forgotten. Joan nodded to him and Hera ran into the room with a box of ammunition and the assembled Imperial soldiers quickly loaded their weapons and gathered plenty of spare. Pheana followed suit after a moment of sneering disgust for the consensus of the soldiers.

Hera was right next to Joan as they filed out of the church and began to make their way across the square. Lea was keeping pace with them and was scanning the surrounding buildings as if the Foe would come seeping out of the bullet riddles walls. They were no more than half way across the torn soil and body littered square when the sounds of tanks rumbled behind them. As one the entire squad dropped and rose weapons towards their rear.

Joan stood as she saw the greatest sight she felt in her life.

Five Rhino APC rolled into the square. Each bore sigils and prayers of the Adeptus Sororitas. Along their sides came a full company of the 86th Hodarra Imperial Guard. The soldiers marching on foot looked as if they had been running all night but the grim determination in their steps showed their true fortitude. The lead Rhino stopped and the soldiers all halted as well. The rear hatch opened with the sounds of gears shifting and a mechanical hiss as it lowered.

Joan smiled as the black armored Sister stepped out into the blood soaked square.

Canoness Camilla had brought the Order to find Sister Aurea.

-

Aurea did not know what was happening. Well, truly she had an _idea_ of what was happening, but it seemed like a nightmare come reality. The daemon, that was the only thing the wretched being could be, chased her. The claws tearing at her, the mouths snapping hungrily after her. She had come back to consciousness momentarily what seemed like an age ago. She had seen the Emperor, grim and foreboding, unforgiving, and had wept. The heretics had her and their leader, a witch red haired and beautifully pale skinned, had laughed at her tears. Then the daemon had drug her back to his realm.

She had no place left to run, or flee. The nether was encompassed by the creature and its claws and mouths surrounded her. The blade that she had grasped in desperation as it had tried to pull her to its girth, shown brightly through the inky blackness that the creature emitted. She screamed as she cut at the creature. Its claws tore at her and her mind was flayed, yet still she battled on.

Geena looked down at her, still fully armored if bloody, mournfully. Aurea let out a defiant yell and began to pray as she hacked another tentacle in two. The beast roared back and caused her to topple through space yet she righted herself and shot forward the shining blade leading the way. She would not let Sister Geena's soul be claimed by this abomination. She would slay the creature before that. She began to pray. If she was to die here than she would die with thoughts of Tordaes, prayers on her lips, and the blade cutting her way to salvation.

_I have the Emperor, he is my savior._ Another claw was removed.

The beast laughed and suddenly she was yanked up and the blade was gone. The beast had removed her power, what ever it was. She could not actually be a psyker could she? She stared in terrified defiance at the beast that studied her. Eyes glistened and a hundred mouths bathed her in fetid breath as they took in her scent. She continued to pray, perhaps the Emperor would find her soul with enough prayer.

_You continue to grow, child._ A hundred mouths said. The voice caused her very soul to writhe in agony. The daemon looked down upon her. _I am Adur'Sharak, youngling. Why do you fight what you cannot defeat? _It asked, the voice causing her mind to tremble in terror.

_He is my shield, my protector._

The beast howled with laughter and the fear the gripped Aurea grew. Geena was lowered next to Aurea and her armored hand shot out and gripped Aurea's fiercely. Aurea gripped it back. A day before she had been terrified of the ghost that inhabited her mind, now they clung to each other like frightened children.

_Your rotting corpse that you call a 'god' shall not save you. You shall set me free and I shall come to rule this galaxy once more. _The mouths smiled at her. _Now it is time for you to die, young one. Know that with your death you have brought a new ruler to your world._

Geena screamed as the claws dug into her. Aurea glared at the face. She would not let the creature win so easily. She was not easy prey. The shining blade came back to into being. This time she felt as if her mind were bathed in a clam light. A flowing light that was almost physical as it flowed through her and filled her to the core. With a single swing she cut through the ropey tentacles that were slowly murdering Geena.

Geena grasped her hand as the tentacles writhed away in agony and the beast roared as the two Sisters clung to each other. Aurea glared at the creature and it laughed. Aurea felt confused. Hadn't she halted what it wanted? The mouths roared its mirth and she and Geena looked up at it resolutely, both ready to die.

Adur'Sharak laughed. _It is time._ Its great mass suddenly seeped away from them leaving them hanging in the nether as it retreated out of Aurea's psyche. It was as if a mighty ocean was being withdrawn and the great hulking mass withdrew upon itself in folds of darkened mental flesh. The daemon smiled one final time and was gone.

The nether was yanked away and Aurea was brought back to reality and the her first reaction to her awakening was a gut wrenching scream as a heavy hand drove a thick iron spike through her hand to a poll.

-

Tordaes was faithful, as much as any man could be when he fought in wars that consumed entire solar systems in flames and death. And now he prayed. He prayed for that white haired angel to be safe. He strode next to Sister Superior Joan, the woman was insanely tough, as they approached the Square of Venerable Saints. Canoness Camilla had been escorted by a Commissar Aldrecht and the beautiful dark haired Sister Superior Sororita had been hard faced ever seeing the black haired officer. It seemed alien for anything to actually affect Joan.

They rounded the corner and a trooper in the grey uniform of the Hodarra 86th fell in a puff of gore as rounds and explosives began to slam into the Imperials. Tordaes and Sister Lea crouched in the ruins of a manufactorium and fought back. It was all they could do.

Joan led the charge next to Canoness Camilla and every weapon spoke as the two sides parried each others attacks and fierce fire fights erupted all around the square. In the center though the dark blue armored Astartes stood resolute and slaughtered bother Guardsman and Sororita as they pushed back the cultists. Through the madness of shells soaring through the air Tordaes saw a sight that wrenched at his heart in the center of the square.

-

Laufeia watched the large Shadow Lord use the heavy brick to crucify the Sister and ignored the battle that raged around her. The white haired woman screamed as her consciousness was fully returned with the bite of the metal entering her. Her spare arm slammed into the helmet of the warrior with the stone with little effect. Another gripped both of her feet and another metal spike was placed. The Sister quieted as her blood trickled down her bare arm. She began to quietly pray.

Laufeia examined the Sister's body and was impressed. It was toned and muscled with several scars twisting on her pale flesh. Her breasts were grape fruit like and the blood from other hand as a spike drove its way through the tender flesh dripped between the two pale peaks of flesh. She was undeniably gorgeous. The woman hardly blinked as the spike drove through her feet and her body was stretched taught as the third and final spike ripped through her flesh and pinned her to the wooden post. She was certainly resilient, even if she had screamed. The sunlight played on the pale woman's flesh and made it glow. Laufeia couldn't help but feel rather awed at the raw strength the Sororita displayed.

The two marines bowed to her as they dropped all of the Sister's armor and deep red robes on the ground at the base of the pole.

"It is done, Mistress." One intoned. His voice growling and echoed from the speaker of his skull-like helm.

Laufeia nodded and the gathered Shadow Lords created a defensive square around their Mistress and the crucified woman. Laufeia heard the sounds of gunfire and explosion begin to rip into her minion's lines near her, she did not care. Soon the Imperial dogs would be crushed by her hand. She gripped a sharp knife in one hand and one of her two guards knelt and she placed one elegant boot into his massive hand and he silently raised her to the dieing Sister's eye level. Rounds shot past both of them, their hissing voices whispering in her ears.

The Sister looked at her though her eyes were glazed with pain. "Damn you, witch." She muttered hoarsely.

Laufeia laughed quietly. "Damn me? You are about to have your very soul yanked from you, child!" The woman went back to muttering prayers with her eyes shut and Laufeia smiled. She had won. She closed her eyes and felt the energies of the warp rush into her. She smiled as the powers twisted about her and the nude woman. She was so close! She could sense the psychic potential in the woman at this range and for a bare second almost regretted having to kill her.

_Free me! _Adur'Sharak roared.

The energies solidified and isolated the daemon within the Sister. It was time for the final step. Laufeia heard the whispers of daemons pour into her ears and suddenly six portals opened around the base of the statue. Elated shrieks echoed from the shimmering portals and creatures of men's darkest nightmares emitted forth. Daemmonettes came from the nether at the Sorceress's command. Their alluring black eyes and beautifully sculpted bodes were marred by hulking carapace claws and horns as they eagerly hunted for the Imperial soldiers. Laufeia spoke and her voice thundered and each Daemonette listened.

"Slaughter them my pretties! Drink their blood and their anguish! Bring me their souls!" She commanded.

_Free me! I have given you servants! Free me!_ Adur'Sharak shrieked. Her mind vibrated and Laufeia looked into the eyes of the beautiful woman in front of her. How smooth her flesh was! How oval shaped and doll-like the Sister was! She was truly exquisite! Laufeia felt the warp energies and the daemonic power in her hand as she raised the long dagger. Her mind was filled with howls as her blade dove downward.

The Sister's blue eyes snapped open and her face was serene just before the blade struck. The eyes haunted Laufeia's vision but they did not stop the blade. The knife cut through mortal flesh and sliced through the Sister's heart. Laufeia rose into the air as the blood of the fallen Sister dripped down the handle as the daemon Adur'Sharak came from his ancient tomb and gifted her with immortality.

-

Joan watched the witch, a pretty woman with deep red hair held back by an ornate battle headdress, plunge the blade into Sister Aurea's nude heart. Her mind seemed to snap and she beheaded the heretic whom she had been fighting.

"No!" She screamed as she watched her Sister, her friend, die.

Tordaes shouted in rage and continued to fight his way forward with renewed vigor with Sister Lea's snarling visage close by his side. They cut through heretics in great bloody swathes as they reached the scattered corpses of fallen Sisters and Guardsmen closest to the Traitor Astartes. Joan rushed forward in time to hear the booming voice of the witch order creatures of darkness upon them.

Kierra rushed past her and kneed a heretic in the head and split his skull open. The caramel Sister was accompanied by Sister Hera and both fought passionately as bolter rounds tore open other Sisters who came forward. Herror rammed his pistol into the mouth of a man and shot until he dropped the steaming hot weapon with a grimace.

Joan raised her blade and led a charge of Sisters, her squad had rushed forward in blind rage. "For Sister Aurea!" She yelled and the roar was taken up on a hundred lips as the Imperial forces fell upon the Traitors in a great mass. She stabbed an Astartes through the chest plate and shot a cultist down.

"Fight on, Sisters!" A strong voice called out. Canoness Camilla stood atop a Rhino with her blade drawn and kicked an Atartes off and dove down to finish her bloody work. With a smile and a prayer Joan charged forward. With her Canoness at her head she would avenge Aurea. She would burn the witch alive.

-

Adur'Sharak roared in orgasmic agony as he felt the blade rupture the tender organ that kept a mortal alive, his psychic blast rebounding through the nether and frightening distant daemons into cowed submission. Freedom was a painful gift. But what a gift to finally obtain! Adur'Sharak laughed as he felt the life leave the mortal. Her soul had escaped him, but that did not matter. He was free!

-

The moment Adur'Sharak came into being Laufeia nearly fainted as her body convulsed and the powers that made her immortal tore through her body. Her mind expanded by leaps and bounds as the daemon bestowed gift after gift upon her. Laufeia felt Adur'Sharak materialize and drug its mighty bulk into the world and as she floated in mid air she watched the battle swirl below her. How the blood flowed for her! For her! The Empress! She smiled and spoke words that thundered across the battlefield.

"Tremble mortals! Adur'Sharak has returned!"

-

Joan heard Kierra scream before she found her, she had tried to keep up with Lea and Tordaes' made charge but had been weighed down. And when she did it was a terrible sight to behold. Three horned, pale, and grinning Daemonettes had her surround and one had the scarred beauty's arm pierced and pinned to a fallen pillar as another parried her vicious attacks from her remaining arm. She rushed forward as Guardsman and heretic alike were slaughtered around her by the daemons. Hera was aiming her pistol at the face of a grinning heretic who had her pinned to the ground with the butt of his rifle.

"You look to be amusing prey, human." A torturous female voice that seemed wracked with ecstasy decreed from behind Joan.

Joan spun about her blade at the ready and met a smiling Daemonette. The creature was lithe and both of its hands were carapace claws. Twin black horns flowed from its raven black hair and it's peach like breasts were heavily pierced. It moved forward.

"Let me taste you, woman. Let me touch you." It demanded with sadistic sensuality and beckoned with one of its glistening claws.

Joan had only enough time to swing her blade as the daemon charged. It laughed loudly and she was knocked back as she tried desperately to sidestep the claw that gouged her right side. Her pistol rose and the creature smiled. The muzzle was against its black heart and Joan squeezed the trigger just as the claw that has hooked on her right side cut into her.

The blast blew daemon gore, thick stringy blood, and quivering offal all over a pair of heretics. The daemon howled in anguish and Joan planted her foot into its stomach and roughly kicked it from her. The claw that had dug into her side tore her open and she cried as she fell to the blood soaked stones at her feet. Her hand grasped the wound and suddenly the sun grew dark and Joan looked to the sky and muttered a prayer as the mightiest daemon she had ever seen drug itself into reality behind the red haired witch whom hung fifty feet in the air smiling. It was a mass of twisting tentacles, claws, mouths, and flesh. It surged behind the witch and dominated the square as the Traitor Astartes backed away uncertainly. The abomination was Chaos incarnate and a thunderous laugh that sounded of hundreds of falling shells and screams of a million wounded. It was terrible and froze fighters where they stood.

The witch's voice thundered out to cause a stand still among the few fighters who did continue to battle. "Tremble mortals! Adur'Sharak has returned!"

The creature roared and dozens dropped to the ground as it surged forward around the mighty statue of the Emperor. Joan saw Kierra laying with glazed eyes dead with one of the Daemonettes at her feet a dozen feet away. She growled and rushed forward. Damn the daemon! She found Hera struggling and helped the young Sister to her feet.

"Come, Sister Hera. It is time for us to meet the Emperor." She said gravely. Lea was most likely dead. And the battle had turned from orderly ranks into a chaotic swirl of blood and death. Hera nodded and stood and both moved forward as another voice suddenly called out. Upon seeing who it was both Hera and Joan rushed to her.

"Sisters!" Canoness Camilla stood in the body littered ground between the Traitor Astartes and the Imperial lines that now tried to form up and advance. The dark armored woman smiled at the Imperial soldiers. "Imperial citizens, in the name of the Emperor, purge them! Bring this abomination to justice!" The entire Imperial force shouted their support and charged forward intent upon slaughtering the beast. Joan tried to yell for them to stay in lines and bring a rain of fire down upon its head. No one listened all were too caught up in their maddening blood lust to care.

The mighty daemon, Adur'Sharak, roared and suddenly a whip of a tentacle smashed the beloved Canoness to the ground. Joan felt her breath leave her as the Imperial army roared its dismay and halted almost immediately. Joan and Hera rushed to the fallen Canoness as the tentacle retracted and the two armies withdrew to regroup and attack once more. A squad of Celestians had reached her first and Sister Pheana stood over the wounded woman in anguish. Upon closer inspection the squad was in anguish and Pheana was merely studying the dieing woman.

Camilla smiled as Joan approached. Her pale skin was blood spattered and her body broken. She would be dead in moments. She motioned weakly for Joan. Joan bowed deeply and painfully made her way forward. First Aurea and now her Canoness? She let a single tear drift down her cheek.

Camilla smiled and took her hand in a bloody gauntlet. "Do not cry for me, child." She said weakly. "I have one last wish before the Emperor takes me to his side…" She coughed and blood wetted her lips.

"What is it, my Lady?" Pheana asked expectantly, the slightest hint of eagerness in her voice.

Joan kissed the bloody gauntlet. "What do you wish, Mother?" She asked in a shaky voice.

The Canoness coughed once more and looked up and smiled as the sun touched her face. "My last order… my last… wish." She coughed again. "Is to appoint the new Canoness…"

Pheana nodded. "I thank you, Canoness, it is a mighty honor to-!"

"I did not say it was you, child." Camilla said as sternly as she could. She smiled again and her hand brushed down Joan's rich brown hair fondly. "I have raised you since you were but a youngling, child." She coughed and Joan seized her hand in both of hers. Camilla smiled. "I… I appoint… Sister Superior Joan to the rank of Canoness of the Order." She smiled one last time and her breathing grew ragged and finally her eyes dulled and her last breath left her broken body. She heard a sob and recognized Sister Lea's voice. Joan looked over her shoulder and tried to gauge the reactions of the warriors that surrounded her.

Hera bowed to her. The Celestians bowed to her as did Lea and Tordaes, both of whom grasped weapons grimly. Pheana glared and stalked off into the ranks of Imperial soldiers that watched the entire ordeal with a bitter growl. Joan lowered the gore soaked hand of the woman who had raised her and stood shakily. Canoness? Her? She turned to the gathered forces and Commissar Aldrecht stalked forward. She watched him coolly. He stepped to the body of the dead woman and gently removed the prayer beads from the belt of the fallen Sororita. He turned back to her and bowed.

His hand offered the beads.

"My Lady Canoness." He said respectfully. He looked up expectantly. "What are your orders?"

Joan looked at the beads. They were worn from use and expertly crafted. She reached out took them. She closed her eyes and gave a prayer to the Emperor for Camilla's soul then another for Aurea's. When she opened her eyes Aldrecht was watching her expectantly. She turned around from the army and saw Adur'Sharak moving forward slowly with the Traitor Astartes bringing up the flanks with the few dozen heretics that were left filliing in the ranks. She looked at the tall statue of the Emperor and how it watched her intently, judging her actions. She saw the bloody and nude form of her crucified Sister and her mind was made up.

"We take back my Sister's body."

-

Sister Geena felt the knife cut through the heart of Sister Aurea and she felt numb. She had wandered these corridors of memory and watched her Sister battle for days yet it felt like a life time. Her Sister was dead, sacrificed to a blood pact to release a mighty daemon upon the souls of humanity. Geena new she was now lost. How could she have failed so horribly?

She turned away from the sight of her dead Sister and made her way back through the nether. Hope was lost, the darkness had won. She considered wandering into the raw warp and letting her soul be yanked apart by its brutal denizens but could not access her powers that had allowed her to battle the daemon, Adur'Sharak, through most of the night. Aurea had not known that she had been mentally slapping away the darkness as it tried to encroach upon them both during the night. Otherwise she would have gladly stayed with Aurea to the bitter end. Though… she supposed she had stayed with her to the end. And now she was left alone…

The nether swirled about her and she wandered lost and alone. Was she bound to roam for eternity? Would she be the solitary watcher over a failing specie called human that killed itself with such devotion that it made faith appear trivial? The nether swirled over her and she mentally sighed. She had failed. She blinked suddenly as a bright light eddied through the shadows of the nether realm.

It was a beacon or a passage. It's light shown into the dead mind of the fallen woman that had been known as Aurea. Geena shot to it, a simple mental push of ones being, and found a figure made entirely of light step into the nether. Where the being's presence arrived the eddies and shadows ebbed away. Geena approached cautiously, who and what was this being?

It saw her and a shining hand beckoned to her.

_Come, child._

"Who are you?" She asked in quiet awe.

_It is of no matter, we have much work we must accomplish. Your Sister is our key to victory._ It replied, the voice was all emotions and thoughts, yet it came through to Geena as clear as if it had spoken in her ear.

She stepped forward, with out knowing why nor caring, the light was comforting. She took its hand and found her armor had been repaired and the blood removed. Her helmet was gone and her deep raven black hair was clean and shown around her pretty oval face and she looked upon the being with shining emerald green eyes. How long had it been since she could feel her face? The being led them back to the sight of Aurea's corpse. Martyred, brutalized, and murdered she hung from the pole coated in her own blood and demise as a great dark shadow covered the square and roared. Geena felt a tear drift down one of her cheeks. Why had Aurea had to die? Why had any of her Sisters had to die?

The being looked at her and Geena felt it smile. _She has known the pain and madness of one much older than her, she was sacrificed for her sufferings. Do not weep, child, she has power beyond your knowledge. _Not knowing how to respond to such a statement Geena looked up once more and remained silent. The being shown bright enough to illuminate her and make Aurea glow in Geena's vision. Still as the glowing grew and the realm around her vibrated with power Geena looked down upon Aurea's body sadly. Her Sister had become a Martyr, no matter what the being said.

-

_Martyium of Sino_ is translated (to the best of my knowledge, which is scant) to Martyrdom of the Sufferer.

Chapter 6 is being outlined and small bits are being scribbled. So the wait could be a little while.

See you next time,

-J.


	6. Chapter 6

_I do not hold the rights to Warhammer 40,000, nor am I making a profit from my literary disaster of a story._

**Chapter 6- ****Atrum Volatilis Ascension**

Canoness Joan stood next to Comissar Aldrecht, the man's previous disrespect had vanished as he looked grimly towards their foe his eyes blazing with fury. Joan turned back to her Sisters, there were twenty eight left. Of the fifty that had come nearly half that lay amongst great piles of dead heretics their lives given in fervent service to the God Emperor, even as she began to turn back aroudn she could see her Sisters recovering the bodies to be burned in ceremony.

Sisters Lea and Hera stood behind her with Trooper Tordaes and Sergeant Herror standing behind the Comissar. Behind them the 86th Hodarran were rushing their transports alongside the Rhinos of the Sisters in preparation of an armored assault. Heavy weapons were loaded and brought to the fore as soldiers loaded up in hurried movements and shouts. The smell of the dead was almost overwhelming as the scent of spent fuel fumes mixed in the air.

"We must move quickly they have already begun to pull back." Aldrecht said, his voice was as sharper than any blade as he watched the Foe slowly trying to retreat.

The Comissar had agreed to share joint command of the forces present and she nodded while he spoke but Joan was not completely present. Her right hand clutched the rosary of the deceased Canoness Camilla, whose body had been recovered immediately following her death, as she turned back to stare at the statue of the Emperor. Her eyes drifted from his bullet pocked form to the tall pole that stood at it's large ornate base.

Sister Aurea hung limply as a slight breeze moved the white locks that hung around her face. Even from here her obvious state of death was apparent. It forced Joan's gut to tighten angrily. She wanted to attack now, her wrath was slowly beginning to boil and she asked the Emperor to guide the witch that had summoned the daemon, Adur'Sharak, to face her.

"I will lead the spear head." She said as her eyes drifted to the armored forms of the Traitor Astartes and her anger grew. She turned back to Comissar Aldrecht. "We take my Sister's body and we will then immediately move upon the enemy." She felt a smile break her face as her righteous anger spoke. "Each of their bodies shall be purified and immolated."

Aldrecht nodded as a Sister Seraphim approached and went to a knee and bowed. The woman was not attractive and her face was scored with scars with greasy locks of hair clinging to her head from the time she remained helmeted. Joan motioned her up, a sudden awkward feeling in her gut at the treatment. It was inappropriate, she was a commander yes, but she was not greater than any of her Sisters in the eyes of the Emperor.

"What news, Sister Seraphim?"

The woman rose from her knee but remained bowed her holy beads and kill and prayer pennants fluttering slightly. Joan heard Lea let out a barely audible dark snicker from behind her, the woman would land herself in heavy penance I she did not guard her tongue.

"Heretic reinforcements have been spotted to east. They will be joining the current Traitors in twenty minutes." The Sister reported with a flat tone that spoke of a woman whom was simply waiting.

Joan nodded, let them come the Imperial force was not tired and looked ready to assault the Eye itself. "Ready the others, you will be apart of the forward attack." The Sister bowed once more yet did not leave. Joan looked at the Sister in confusion. She had dismissed her. Why was the Seraphim not following orders? A sudden thought that her Sister's would not follow her gripped Joan. She banished the insecurities angrily. She had to lead them, she had been chosen, albeit rather unconventional and unceremoniously. "Is there a problem, Sister?"

The woman shook her head and her arms extended to Joan in offering. "Never, Mother, your orders shall be executed with zeal." The woman looked up, brilliant blue eyes stared up from a plain scarred face. "The Seraphim are yours to the core and we wish to gift your ascension, Mother."

Joan looked at the proffered gift. A hand flamer with intricate worked prayer work and a Inquisitorial amulet welded onto the body seamlessly was in the Seraphim's hands. Joan took the weapon in both hands. It was masterfully crafted, and old, the spirit of the weapon echoed Joan's own righteous fury. She was reassured by the act of favor by the Seraphim. Her Sister's would follow.

"Give my thanks and praise to your fellow Seraphim, Sister. Now go, the Emperor has gifted us wit battle and we shall smite his foes and I expect to see the Seraphim at my side with the Litany of Hate upon their voices." Joan said warmly.

The Sister bowed with a smile. A smile that echoed the hunger for battle and justice that so many felt around her. "Yes, Mother, we shall."

"Your Sisters seem satisfied with your predecessor's choice, Canoness Joan." Aldrecht said as the Sister left quickly. She turned back to the Comissar.

"It is their own conviction. I have been passed a title. Nothing more. I will have to prove myself to them. Now go ready your men. I will not wait any longer."

Comissar Aldrecht bowed and left to ready his men. Tordaes stayed a moment longer looking at Aurea's body with a haunted look in his eyes, haunted yet a hungry fury that only Traitor's blood would satisfy. Joan watched him blankly. The man had not made a sound since the battle, where he had been screaming in an unimaginable rage as if possessed. He blinked after a moment his eyes returning to being merely haunted and gave her an awkward bow and turned on his heel to follow Sergeant Herror and the Comissar. Joan studied the man's broad back and eager pace as he left. He seemed a rapid wolf waiting for a hunt. _Let us hope the Emperor gifts him with a mighty hunt to sate that hunger before it consumes him._

"Mother, the Seraphim are prepared and the Retribution Squad you requested has it's Rhino prepared." Sister Lea said. She had taken command of Joan's old squad, which only consisted of Hera and Lea, yet both of them looked resolute despite their lacking numbers.

"You will be my guard, I expect you to be as ruthless as you have always been once arms have been met." Joan said absently as she began to march towards the large Rhino that was behind her. She mentally prepped herself for the coming bloodshed with a silent prayer to the Emperor for protection and strength.

"Yes, Mother, we shall guard you with our lives." Lea said. Joan could practically see the approving smile on the woman's face despite her back being to the Sister.

The Retribution Squad, eight Sisters armed with flamers and Meltas, met her with bowed heads. Their Sister Superior stepped forward. Her helmet foreboding and fierce.

"Mother, we are ready for your bidding." The woman said over the vox.

Joan nodded. "We shall be the flaming fist of the Emperor in the attack. We aim to kill the witch and by the grace of the Emperor, the unholy demon." The entire squad bowed lower their duty and orders now confirmed. Joan felt the vox piece in her ear and spoke to Comissar Aldrecht. "Patch me through to issue the attack." A confirmation came back and Joan smiled as she loaded into the confines of the Rhino and heard Hera, Lea, and the squad begin to pray fervently.

"Remember the Emperor is watching, Sisters and Guardsmen! Make him proud and crush the foe under your boot and slay them with your weapons! Attack." She finished grimly as she heard Adur'Sharak roar. Let the beast roar, they would banish it's blasphemous form back to the warp. Joan had just begun to give one final prayer as the Rhino shot forward when the thunder of a the roar of the daemon sounded within the Rhino. Joan grimaced as the Rhino came to a jarring halt.

"Why have we stopped?" She asked calmly.

The Sisters all looked confused and the Sister Superior checked the pilot quarters and turned around. "Mother, the entire attack has simply stopped..." She said with a dumbfounded tone.

Joan sighed and headed to the back hatch. "Come Sisters. If we must we will march on the foes of the Emperor to purge them."

-

Sister Geena watched the Imperials come rushing forward in a great wave of flesh and metal. How Sister Joan expected to defeat Adur'Sharak with such a small force was beyond Geena. It did not seem possible, though it was certainly valiant.

_The attack will need more._ Came the ethereal voice from the shining being next to her.

Geena watched the advance. "There are no reinforcements near. What chance do they stand against both Traitor Astartes and the daemon? They charge to their deaths." She finished bitterly.

_They serve the Emperor, young one. The is what drives them. It is their faith that gives them such strength._ The being said.

"They will all die then? Is it what the Emperor wishes?" Geena asked as she looked to the being and squinted.

_If it is their time it is their time, none may dispute that._ The being said. _But it is now time for ascension, not untimely demise._

Geena looked away to hide her skepticism. The being had been speaking in odd riddles and vague statements since it had arrived. None of which it had said made sense. Ascension? Would death set the Imperial warriors free? Would it elevate them? Geena didn't think so.

A pleasant laughter came from the being. _Do not be so skeptical, young one. Have faith, for it is time._

With those words the being suddenly left Geena's side. She looked after it as it traveled forward and blinding arms rose. Geena squinted as the intensity of the light from the being forced her eyes to being nearly shut. She shivered as the sudden feeling of massive amounts of Warp power and psychic tremors shook the nether around her. Geena watched in alarm as the being's light began to fill the nether. It glowed and flitted through the shadows bringing the golden light to every fathomable corner of the nether.

Geena suddenly jerked as she was dragged towards the being by a large flow of light. "What are you doing!" Geena screamed as the nether quaked in a sudden rhythmic reverberation. The being shown even brighter and she began to tremble at the present power that whipped her dark hair as if a tempest surrounded her.

_It is time! _The being thundered. _There is no more time to wait in penance or reluctance of duty! It is time to awaken! _

Geena tried to fight the bonds as she arrived next to the being. For the first time since the being had come to the nether of Aurea's dead mind did Geena feel fear, the being was mighty in such a vast quantity that it caused a sudden sense of insignificant terror within her breast. Another rythmic thunder sounded out. It sounded once more. Geena's eyes widened as the golden light filled her vision and the nether utterly. It left no darkness or shadow untouched. The amount of otherworldly beauty and power transcended everything Geena could describe into incomprehensible awe.

Geena felt tears coursing down her cheeks as she felt every cell in her body be infused with the power of the being and her own power be willing given to the being. The thunder sounded again and the rhythm was no longer broken as it sounded out in a healthy timing. Her eyes widened at the sound. What she heard was not possible. She looked at the being once more with open mouthed awe.

The being had countless strands of the golden power leading from it's form into the pure energy around it with it's arms raised. It's voice spoke and Geena knew what she heard was not a lie. _Rise now Chosen of the Emperor! _It said majestically. _Rise now and feel your exaltation! Rise!_

Geena wept for she now knew what she heard thundering in perfect time around her. She heard a pulse.

-

Adur'Sharak had fought a countless host of psychic beings in it's eternal life. But the sudden presence in the psychic field of it's once-tomb caused it to blanch. It was equally as strong as Adur'Sharak. And when it entered his psyche a mighty roar of defiance came from deep within the massive body of the daemon. It had been long since Adur'Sharak had felt intimidated and it refused to show the presence any insecurity. Adur'Sharak would crush it as easily as it would devour the Imperial soldiers that advanced upon his physical form.

The sorceress spun about in fury at his sudden outburst. "We will pull back, Adur'Sharak. I will not let my men be slaughtered for no reason when there are plenty of follower all but several streets away." She said sharply as her deep red hair was stirred by a soft breeze.

"Do not be such a fool, mortal!" Adur'Sharak said, the voices of a hundred fanged mouths in agony and anger causing several of the cultists to clutch their heads as madness took them. Adur'Sharak smiled to himself as he watched them gibber. "I want to feast and the enemy that approaches shall ready my appetite for the others on this wretched planet."

"You must follow what I say!" Laufeia shouted. Her yell drew several of her blue armored Astartes to her side, their twisted armor echoing their dark oaths to the Ruinous Powers.

Adur'Sharak began to move forward ignoring the sorceress. A sudden increase in psychic power around the statue of the rotting 'god' had alerted him. He saw the approaching machinations of the Imperium and was unconcerned. Adur'Sharak would crush them after he investigated this sudden power that seemed to grow in massive leaps and bounds. It had to be the presence. It must be trying to break the Immaterium and enter the battle field.

"Do not ignore my command, daemon!" The sorceress screamed manically. The madness of the power he had bestowed upon her was already beginning to surface. It was not any of Adur'Sharak's concern, only this mighty presence was.

The daemon reached out with it's powers and immediately let out a massive roar as a burning beacon of golden energy burned his psyche as he drew close to the statue. The searing attack blinded him and the enraged daemon thrashed and buildings fell in great cascades of mortar and metal. Another sudden presence brought Adur'Sharak's attentions back to the physical as a sudden field of psychic energy spread from the statue and soon bathed the entire square.

What Adur'Sharak sensed brought a new rage to it's mind. The presence stood defiantly against his probing like a great golden bastion. Adur'Sharak smiled to itself, one more great battle then it would devour the world. The little guardian would not stop it, no matter how much power it seemed to hold.

Adur'Sharak roared and the field suddenly terminated and every building shattered in dust and screams of structures stubbornly being destroyed. What Adur'Sharak sensed now was no longer daunting, it was dangerous. It grinned.

-

"What happened?" Sister Joan yelled as she charged from the back of the Rhino her robes sighing with her irritated movements. She could hear the Lea leading Hera and the squad after her. Why was her attack not commencing?

"Mother!" A battle Sister came running forward her young face shouting a warning just as every building around the square shattered in sprays of debris and dust. The ground shot what ever was loose into the air.

Joan dropped to her stomach with a pained wheeze before shoving herself up and grabbing a hold of the battle Sister. Her hand shot to her ear as she saw the thick clouds of dirt and dust settle upon her men and their vehicles. "Report! Report, damn you!" There was no answer. Joan growled and attempted to pull the Sister up and when the woman only budged did Joan look down.

The girl was staring wide eyed behind Joan. "Mother... Joan!" Lea said in a reverent voice.

"Sister Lea, you must watch your tongue or you'll-!" Joan started in irritated fury and as she spun about the words died on her tongue. Lea and the entire squad were staring in an odd sense of reverence towards their goal, the statue of the Emperor and Aurea's dead body.

The statue rose out of the billowing clouds of dust and debris like a proud bastion of sanity left in a world gone mad. But this was not what caused Joan's voice to stop. Nor was it the reason why she slowly began walking forwards.

What caused her awe caused reverence was the site before her. The billowing clouds had died down and the pole that Aurea had been crucified stood with blood lines tracing down it. But it stood empty all twenty yards away. This was not the unusual site that led Canoness Joan.

At the base of the statue and the pole a figure floated feet a mere foot over the ground arms raised to being almost perpendicular with the ground. The figure's smooth pale white body should have been covered in blood from being crucified and murdered. The blood flecked off until the figure was as clean as if they had just bathed and the wounds appeared to be knitting together and leaving only the slightest white scars. The figures head was titled back eye lids shut in reverence as white locks drifted gently around a beautiful oval face.

The robes and armor that had been so roughly discarded during the woman's brutalization spun about her and clothed her almost as if unseen hands lifted them effortlessly and dressed her for war. Deep red robes settled comfortably on the woman's body and were soon tightened down by a belt and then the power armor that fitted onto her figure masterfully until it sealed with a click. Feminine arched armored boots hissed as they connected with the the rest of the armor and sealed. Her robes drifted in an imaginary breeze and her heavy leather combat belt sealed over her waist and her many baubles and religious trinkets were soon apart of her person.

Joan approached on legs that seemed to be doing the bidding of another. She was seeing a miracle right before her eyes. The figure settled on the rubble strewn ground effortlessly as the dust finally died down. Joan heard the scrape of a hundred sets of feet behind her and knew that each Imperial warrior was watching in the same awe as herself.

The figures face was angelic and radiated an unknown power that seemed to glow around her figure entrancingly. The shining white hair settled and suddenly Joan heard a thud next to her and when she broke her gaze from the angel in front of her she saw Trooper Tordaes on his knees. Tears were in his eyes and he looked at the woman in adoration. Joan turned back and nearly gasped.

The woman's eyes snapped open. Deep blue eyes stared into the very being of Joan as the reborn warrior studied her. Joan swallowed.

"Aurea Istallo. You are a Living Saint and Weapon of the Emperor." She said quietly. Yet her voice echoed far almost as if another power amplified her words so that every ear in the square would hear the decree.

-

Aurea looked at the world differently. How could one not when the details that she so casually looked over before showed themselves now? The way the light caused a soft shadow on Sister Joan's jawline or how the clouds twisted in the sky. Perhaps how she could sense the emotions of the men and women before her. Awe, inspiration, reverence. And from behind her came confusion, hatred, and disgust. She could feel it all and let it wash over her.

The energy that filled her gave her smells and sights beyond what any could sense. It was incredible. She knew what she was now. The Emperor would take her as his own. A living manifest of his might and grace. A Saint.

Aurea smiled inwardly and found Geena. Her dead Sister was weeping yet Aurea could feel her joy. Had she really been gone that long? Death had been... blank. Nothingness in a sea of void was her best description.

The smell of the Warp and daemonic filth reached her and she remembered the battle with the daemon. She would deal with the beast herself. She would slay it for Geena and the Emperor. Her memories came crashing back and the guilt she felt was real and painful, but now she would embody the power behind the guilt. She would purge her sins in the fires of redemption found in battle.

Another memory came back to her. That of a man with dark hair and hazel eyes and a bewitching smile. The guilt she felt over this was far from over and she basked in the warm feelings the memory gave her.

She turned her gaze and saw the man. Trooper Tordaes looked out her with adoration radiating from his being though his face was blank despite his tear filled eyes. With a thought she rose from the ground and her mouth became a smile and a tear fell down Tordae's grimy cheek.

She came to him and brushed it away and felt the wetness soak into her flesh as her senses enveloped his skin. Aurea could not remember why she did not let herself enjoy the man before. The way he nuzzled her hands as she let them lightly glide over his face caused her guilt to fade and be replaced with fondness that she was not used to.

"Sister Aurea..." A familiar voice trailed off. Aurea looked up with out ceasing her touching of Tordaes and saw Joan and she lost her smile. Joan looked tired, the Sister had never shown that before. It angered Aurea, who had caused such stress upon her mentor?

"Sister Superior Joan." She stated and she heard a collective bated breath be released and she finally looked around. Imperial soldiers watched her, her Sisters watched her. Lea with the scar that twisted so when she smiled, as she was now, stood with shimmering eyes. They stretched out before her, waiting for her. She looked back to Tordaes. Why would she ever fight if she could feel such an emotion as which she felt when she looked at him?

Tordaes looked at her and his hands came up and brought her hands to his mouth and he kissed them. She sighed and leaned down the urge to accomplish that which she had craved for for so long overcoming every other drive in her being.

Her lips touched his and she wept as years of guilt and anger disappeared with her apprehension.

-

Adur'Sharak struck at the puny creature with glee. To be rid of such a foe would be enjoyable indeed. And the daemon was tired of waiting for the being to challenge it to combat.

-

Joan stepped forward her armored hand raised as the Saint sensually kissed Trooper Tordaes and suddenly heard Sister Hera let out a warning scream. A large hooked tentacle from the daemon whipped from behind the massive statue at the Saint.

Joan's body acted quicker than her mind could process and she tackled Aurea from her embrace with Tordaes. She took them both to the ground and felt the air above her head let out a loud whoosh as the tentacle passed directly over her.

Lea shouted a command and the sudden thunder of weaponry echoed out and rounds slammed above them. Shouting and footsteps began to sound behind the two women and Joan looked into Aurea's eyes.

The blue depths held a sorrow. "By the Emperor..." Aurea said in a bare whisper.

Joan leapt to her feet and pulled Aurea with her a sudden protectiveness in her actions. The Saint would not come to harm so long as she lived. For Emperor had imbued her flesh with his might and Joan would see that might used.

"Sister you must lead the attack." Joan said as rounds began to whip around them both. She pulled her blade, raised it while pulling her pistol and turned to the Imperial soldiers that were being scored with attacks as the Heretics attacked.

"For the Emperor!" Joan screamed and saw Sister Lea and Sister Hera charging forward with the Retribution Squad.

Joan felt a round strike her armor and turned as a Heretic with a pistol and axe landed right in front of her and attacked her midsection. Why was Aurea not helping them! She parried the attack and with one clean motion raised her pistol and squeezed the trigger. The man screamed as her flamer erupted at point blank range and seared his flesh.

The smell of cooked skin and blood touched her nostrils and Joan yelled as she cut him down. She had forgotten about her flamer. It was with joy that she attacked the next foe. As her Sisters joined her around the statue to battle the foe. The daemon seemed to have retreated and now the Imperials and the Heretics met in furious combat around the statue.

Her squad stood tall and valiant losing few and purging and burning handfuls of heretics before reinforcements brought up the line. They were the Emperor's wrath embodied and they dealt his punishment joyously with their Canoness at their Head. But it would not last blood soaked and pooled on the steps of the statue as both sides battled for survival and favor from their gods. The Imperial soldiers were outnumbered.

A report came from Aldrecht. "Canoness Joan, their reinforcements have arrived and have come from our back. We cannot hold this battle, I suggest that we call for retrieval or I fear we will all die, whether this Saint aids us or not."

"We must, Comissar Aldrecht! We must. And I assure you she shall." Joan finished grimly and saw Seraphim dropping into combat their weapons blazing and more men died. Where was Aurea Istallo!

"Mother!" Hera shouted. "Behind us!"

Joan turned with an oath and saw hundreds of the foe come from their rear. She thumbed her vox as her Sisters formed a defensive ring around their Canoness. "Comissar Aldrecht, to our rear! Take command. I will hold our front!" She shouted.

"I am already there, Canoness. It has been an honor serving alongside you." Aldrecht replied calmly and the rearguard suddenly charged the enemy and soon combat was joined there as well.

"Mother! The Saint!" Lea shouted as she gutted a heretic with a jerk of a long combat knife.

Joan spun and saw Aurea. She knelt in an empty circle with the dieing Tordaes. The man's body was torn asunder by the daemon and they gazed at each other in his final moments.

"Sister Lea do not let our position fall. I am going to go bring our salvation to our fight." Lea gave a grim nod and shot another man with her pistol. Joan stood straight. "Sisters! Recite to the Traitors our Litany of Hate!"

The Sisters let out frenzied chants of Litanies of Faith, Battle, and War and held the line as more of them fell. It had been minutes since the Sainthood of Aurea and the casualties would be hard pressed to even the scale for her Sisters and the Imperial Guard. Joan set her jaw and walked into the circle. She would drag the angel into the battle even if she had to threaten her. Something died within Joan, Aurea was her friend or at least had been, how could she think of her as something other than her Sister? _Because you must._ A voice decreed. She could not be kind to her Sister now. Her Sisters and men would die if she did.

Her heart hardened. It was time for victory. At any cost.

-

"Aurea..." Tordaes coughed up more blood. "Aurea... I... I..." Her hand gripped his tighter as she watched him die. He smiled. "Aurea. I think... I love you." He let out a final ragged cough and stopped moving.

"He died for his Emperor, Sister." A voice said from behind her. Joan moved behind her. Aurea did not stop staring into his eyes. Had they always contained that golden tint? They were lifeless and a rage built within Aurea. She had felt it. The happiness that prayer could not bring when she had kissed him. It had been brief. It should have been her who had been struck. Not him.

"Sister." Joan said sharply. "Your Sisters need you now. We need you. The Emperor needs you."

"The daemon killed him..." She whispered. Joan watched her blankly but her confusion was apparent. "The daemon stole Geena because of his tomb... that beast murdered them!" Aurea growled as her fury began to burn.

Aurea felt tears fall down her cheeks the wetness echoing in her being. She laid his hand upon his torn chest gently and brushed his lips with her own and a sudden sob wracked her body. Pain that Aurea did not think could exist tore through her being. She looked to the sky and could see sunlight and wept harder until she could cry no longer. Her sorrow was replaced by fury as a prayer for Tordaes echoed through her head. The power within her seemed to sing and she felt a weight on her back and she kissed Tordaes one last time her heart realizing her purpose.

She looked up and Joan stepped back her face showing pure suprise. "By the Emperor I swear this abomination shall die!" She rose from the corpse of the only man she had ever loved and felt the weight on her back move as muscles that had not been present before flex. Twin jet black feathered wings came from her back and they flexed in time with her fury. Her hand motioned and the power flowed into a form to fill her hand. A worked hilt a hand and a half long filled the space in her hand as a guard formed and was soon followed by a long straight blade. The sword flickered with holy fire and every eye watched her in awe.

Aurea ignored them all and looked towards the direction Adur'Sharak waited. Oh how smugly it grinned at her in her mind. Laughing and then running through the Immaterium. Baiting her, goading her. Little did the daemon know that Aurea Istallo had all the provocation she needed. With a massive thrust from her black wings Aurea shot into the sky her red robes fluttering and her armor shining to meet Adur'Sharak in battle. Below her her Sisters and the Guardsmen suddenly were filled with an insane vigor of pure fury and tore into their foe whether outnumbered or not.

Aurea did not notice this and with a small trickle of the power spoke to the daemon that twisted and snapped at her as she floated a hundred feet away. Her eyes gleamed with hatred and her blade almost seemed to hum with eagerness to feast upon the unholy flesh before it.

"Hear me, daemon! I am Battle Sister Aurea Istallo, Living Saint of the God Emperor of Mankind! I am here to purge your taint from this world! And by the strength of the Emperor I shall slay you!" Flaming blade readied Aurea Istallo shot forward her eyes echoing the strength of the dead.

-

_Atrum Volatilis Ascension _translates to: Dark Winged Ascension.

Chapter 7 is being outlined. Which on the subject of the hand work of the story, I do plan on editing the entire thing once I have some spare time.

See you soon,

-J.


End file.
